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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
CO. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRE NOT TO
106
MAURITIUS.
43. At the beginning of August a public subscription was started, with the co-operation of the members of the Council of Government, in aid of the victims of the war. Up to the present time Rs. 168,000 has been collected, one-half of which sum has been sent to the Prince of Wales's War Relief Fund; the other half is being devoted to the relief of the French sufferers from the war.
44. Offers to place their services at the disposal of Government, for the defence of the Colony against external attack or other duties, were received from numbers of the inhabitants of the Colony, of all classes.
45. On the 3rd August the Albion and Mauritius Dock Companies placed their resources at the disposal of the civil and military authorities to be used in such manner as might be thought fit. Their offer was gratefully acknowledged, and advantage was taken of it to utilize the transport and stores belonging to the companies for the movement and accommodation of the sugar and other food supplies purchased by the Colonial Government. The companies also placed a number of their transport mules and carts at the disposal of the military authorities without charge. These mules were retained by the military authorities for one month and returned when no longer required. The Dock Companies have, how- ever, expressed their readiness again to hand their transport over to the military authorities when required.
46. On the 5th August the Automobile Club offered to place at the disposal of the civil or military authorities a certain number of motor cars, driven either by owners or by chauffeurs in their employment. The Club was thanked for their generous offer. No occasion has yet arisen for taking advantage of it.
The members of the Société des Dames de la Charité, who undertake sick nursing among the poor, offered their services in nursing wounded and ambulance work.
47.
At the request of the Army Council temporary commissions in the new There were numerous service battalions were offered to suitable candidates. applicants for commissions. Of these, six who were found medically and otherwise fit were granted commissions and left Mauritius for England before the end of December to take up their duties.
XIV. Gift of Sugar to the Army and Navy.
48. On the 24th August the planters of Moka and Flacq, through Mr. Pierre Montocchio, Mr. Louis Noel, and Mr. Maxime Boullé, offered a gift of 400 tons of sugar for His Majesty's troops either in or out of the Colony.
At a meeting of the Chamber of Agriculture, held on the 31st August, a motion was proposed by the Honourable A. Duclos, Vice-President, and carried by acclamation, to the effect that :-
The Chamber of Agriculture, in the name of the planters of Mauritius, do offer a gift of one million pounds of sugar to His Majesty's Army, and one million pounds of sugar to His Majesty's Navy."
The gift intimated on the 24th August was eventually included in the general gift of the planters, and shipment was made of 858 tons by the transport "Elelo” on the 6th November.
40.
At the instance of the Chamber, telegrams were transmitted to the Secre tary of State for War and the First Lord of the Admiralty, in the following terms:
To the First Lord of the Admiralty :-
"Les planteurs mauriciens sont heureux d'offrir à la valeureuse Marine de Sa Majesté Britannique, comme un faible tribut de leur admiration et de leur reconnaissance pour la protection si effective qu'elle assure au commerce de l'Empire, un million de livres de sucre spécialement fabriqué, et forment des voeux bien sincères pour que la flotte réhausse encore les héroiques traditions qui sont les siennes.'
"
To the Secretary of State for War :-
"Les planteurs mauriciens sont heureux d'offrir, comme un faible tribut de leur admiration, un million de livres de sucre spécialement fabriqué à la valeureuse Armée de Sa Majesté Britannique et forment des voeux bien sincères pour que ses héroiques efforts soient couronnés de succès."
197
MAURITIUS.
50. The following telegram was received in reply from the Secretary of State for the Colonies :--
"The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and the Army Council accept with much gratitude the generous offer of the planters of Mauritius. On behalf of His Majesty's Government I desire to convey our warmest thanks. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty ask me to express also their appreciation of the terms in which the planters speak of the Navy."
XV-Purchase of Sugar by His Majesty's Government.
51. On the 7th August the Secretary of State inquired what was the amount of the present stock and prospective supply of sugar which would be available for export to the United Kingdom if required. A reply was sent to the effect that the supply available for export to the United Kingdom was about 210,000 tons of vesous of the crop then being gathered.
52. On the 22nd August the Secretary of State telegraphed that he had arranged for the Bank of Mauritius to purchase one hundred thousand tons of crystal sugar, as agent on behalf of His Majesty's Government, at seven- teen shillings and sixpence per hundredweight free on board, the bank receiving commission of twopence per hundredweight to cover all their expenses except such as may be incurred in the shipment of bullion from India to Mauritius. It was explained that the price offered by His Majesty's Government was the price to be paid to the planters, and that the prohibition against the export of sugar could not be removed until the purchase of 100,000 tons for His Majesty's Government had been completed.
53. The arrangements for financing the bank were subsequently modified. The commission granted to the bank was increased from twopence to threepence per hundredweight and the bank was to receive payment from the Treasury in London on telegraphic notification of the receipt of the bills of lading by the Governor.
54. On the 24th August a Government notification was issued giving particulars of the proposed purchase of sugar by His Majesty's Government, and informing sellers that forms of application for contract were obtainable from the hundredweight free on board at Port Louis.
55. Between the 26th and 29th of August the managers of the Crédit Foncier of Mauritius and of the Mauritius Estates and Assets Company reported that His Majesty's Government had made arrangements in London for the purchase of their available output of vesou sugar at a price of seventeen shillings and ninepence per hundredweight free on board at Port Louis.
56. The Secretary of State telegraphed on 29th August that the manager of the Bank of Mauritius had reported that neither the bank nor the bank's agents were being allowed to buy sugar, but that each estate was being invited by Govern- ment notice to state the amount they were prepared to deliver free on board by fixed dates.
The Secretary of State explained that the arrangement with the bank was that they should buy 100,000 tons themselves, acting as sole agents for His Majesty's Government in the Colony.
57. The Secretary of State was informed on the 30th August that the position was not completely described by the manager of the bank, and that the notice in question referred the planters to the manager of the Bank of Mauritius for forms of application for contract. These steps had been taken with the concurrence of the Local Board and manager of the bank, to ensure the observance of the conditions of purchase and to distribute the purchase so as to benefit as far as possible the whole sugar-producing community.
The assistance given by the Colonial Government to the Bank of Mauritius resulted in the planters immediately placing at the disposal of His Majesty's Government the entire output of vasou crystal sugar that had not then been sold.
58. To meet the requirements of His Majesty's Government specific offers for the sale of 129,000 tons of sugar were received from the planters, and contracts for the purchase of 100,000 tons were completed by the 3rd September.
59. The Secretary of State was informed of the quantity of sugar offered, and
it was suggested that, if His Majesty's Government wished to purchase the balance
of 29,000 tons, with a view to restoring trade to its normal footing arrangements should be made locally through the Commercial Bank of Mauritius.