443
14565/33 [No. 7].
DEAR SIR HERBERT,
146
No. 101.
MR. A. C. C. PARKINSON (ĆOLONIAL OFFICE)
to
SIR H. J. CREEDY (WAR OFFICE).
Downing Street, S.W.1, 30th August, 1933. Before he went away, Sir Samuel Wilson asked me to write to you about the re- establishment of the Mauritius Defence Force and the question of the re-assessment of the Colony's military contribution with which it is linked.
Sir Samuel wrote to you fully on the 31st July* regarding the desirability of retaining for a time in Mauritius the services of Major D. A. Hutchison, R.E., the present Officer Commanding the Troops, Mauritius, who is considered to be a specially valuable instru- ment for bringing about the re-establishment of the Force. You may also remember that in paragraph 6 of his Secret despatch of the 22nd August, 1932†, which is printed in Oversea Defence Committee memorandum, No. 646M. the Governor had already stressed the advantage of having Major Hutchison's influence available if and when the establish- ment of a local Defence Force became possible.
We have now received the Governor's promised despatch regarding the future rate of the Colony's defence contribution, in which he also deals, as promised, with the question of the Defence Force. The despatch is being sent to the War Office with a letter from the Colonial Office proposing that the contribution should be fixed at the sum of £25,000 per annum, subject to review after five years.
The Governor has also written personally to Sir Samuel emphasizing again the importance of seizing the present propitious moment for the inauguration of a Defence Force in the Colony, and pointing out that if this is to be done an early decision will be necessary regarding the military contribution, and the question of the further retention of Major Hutchison's services in the Colony.
We shall be very grateful, therefore, if everything possible can be done to expedite the decisions on these two matters.
Yours, &c..
A. C. C. PARKINSON.
147
3. It now appears from the Governor's despatch that the way can be paved for the early inauguration of a local Defence Force in the Colony if an agreement can be reached without delay regarding the assessment of the Colony's military contribution.
4. Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister considers that the case for a revision of the defence contribution of Mauritius is very strong. The financial position of the Colony is normally precarious and there is no prospect of a recurrence of the exceptional circumstances which In these circumstances there can be no brought prosperity during the post-war years. justification for Mauritius continuing to pay proportionately at a higher rate than any other Colony, in comparison with the actual expenditure of the War Office in the Colony.
5. The basis of assessment proposed by the Governor appears to be reasonable. There would, however, be many advantages in an arrangement whereby the contribution was assessed at a fixed sum for a number of years. The desirability of an arrangement on such lines has already been recognized in the case of the Straits Settlements contri- bution. Since the acceptance of the existing basis of contribution, there have been material changes in the scope of Government expenditure, which have necessitated the raising of additional revenue, and ipso facto an increase in the military contribution. The resources of the Colony are limited, and, it does not seem reasonable that an increase in the cost of social services in Mauritius should necessitate the payment of a larger contribu- tion to the Imperial Exchequer from the funds of the Colony.
6. The Secretary of State therefore proposes as a preferable alternative to the suggestions put forward by the Governor on the basis of a percentage of revenue, that the Mauritius contribution should be fixed at the sum of £25,000, subject to revision, if necessary, after five years.
7. In view of the importance attached to the formation of a local Defence Force, and of the fact that the present is undoubtedly a peculiarly opportune moment for its inauguration--a favourable opportunity which, as the Governor explains in his despatch. may not recur-Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister hopes that the Army Council will accept this proposal. Since delay may result in the present favourable opportunity of inaugurating the defence force being missed, I am to express the hope that an early decision may be reached.
8. Copies of this letter and of the enclosure are being sent to the Treasury and to the Secretary of the Oversca Defence Committee.
14565/33 [No. 8].
No. 102.
I am, &c..
H. R. COWELL.
(Secret.)
SIR,
COLONIAL OFFICE
to
WAR OFFICE. [Auswered by No. 103.]
Downing Street, 30th August, 1933. With reference to Colonial Office letter of the 23rd March, 1931‡, and subsequent correspondence regarding the military contribution payable to Imperial Funds by the Colony of Mauritius, and to the memorandum of the Oversea Defence Committee, No. 646M. dated the 13th January, 1933, which deals with the question of the formation of a new Defence Force in the Colony, I am directed by Secretary Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister to transmit to you, to be laid before the Army Council, a copy of a Secret despatch§ from the Governor of Mauritius containing proposals for the revision of the basis of assessment of the Colony's military contribution, to take effect after the 30th June, 1934, on the termination of the existing temporary arrangement by which military contribution has been fixed at £15,000 per annum for two years.
2. It will be observed that in their memorandum under reference the Oversea Defence Committee, while expressing strongly their opinion that the formation of a Defence Force in Mauritius was desirable, did not urge its immediate formation, lest such a recom- mendation might prejudice the question of the Colony's military contribution with which they did not consider themselves competent to deal.
* 14565/33 [No. 3]: not printed.
C. 84507/31 [No. 4]: not printed.
† 12503/33 [No. 5]: not printed.
§ No. 100.
14565/33 [No. 19].
No. 103.
WAR OFFICE
to
SIR,
COLONIAL OFFICE.
The War Office, London, S.W.1, 6th November, 1933.
I am commanded by the Army Council to refer to your letter of 30th August, 1933*, enclosing a despatch from the Governor of Mauritius, relative to a revision of the basis of the military contribution payable by the Colony and also to the proposed formation of a local Defence Force in the Colony.
The Council understand from your letter, and from the Governor's despatch, that the two questions are regarded as dependent one upon the other and that, it is anticipated that unless there is an alteration in the permanent basis of the contribution, with a substantial reduction in its amount, when the present temporary arrangement terminates, the proposal to raise a local Force must be left in abeyance.
I am to point out, however, that to treat these two questions as mutually dependent would be to depart from certain accepted principles which have for many years formed the basis of Colonial military contribution. As your Department will be aware, these principles are briefly that a Colony should be entirely responsible for the cost of its local Forces and should, in addition, subject to its means, pay for the full cost of the Imperial garrison, irrespective of any question whether that garrison exists purely for the Colony's local defence or partly for Colonial and partly for Imperial defence. The existence of reliable local Forces may of course in certain cases enable the Imperial garrison to be
* No. 102.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILICO. 882/11
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