PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :--
C.O. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGREENOT TO
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MAURITIUS.
81. On 3rd August inquiries were instituted as to the stook of rice in Mauri- tius. It was found that there were 170,000 bags of about 185 lbs. each in Port Louis, and about 20,000 bags in the country districts. These stocks were considered sufficient for about four-and-a-half months' supply.
82. It was represented on 3rd August, by unofficial members of Council, that a large rise in the price of foodstuffs was apprehended, and in some cases had already taken place. On the same day meetings were held with the principal Arab merchants and with representatives of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, at which assurances were given to the Acting Governor that prices would not be unduly raised.
83. The position was not, however, satisfactory. It was stated that retail merchants who had exhausted their stocks had been unable to replenish them, as the wholesale merchants refused to sell the quantities of rice ordered, and there was a considerable rise in the price of foodstuffs. Further, it was reported on the 8th August that the banks had stopped all telegraphic transfers to India, and that Indian banks refused bills without quotations from the Mauritius banka The wholesale merchants thus found difficulty in purchasing supplies in India.
Finally, the Governor of Seychelles reported a shortage of food supplies in that Colony and asked that supplies might be despatched from Mauritius.
84. It was accordingly decided that Government should order food supplies from India. The Government of India were requested to despatch 100,000 bags of rice, 10,000 bags of gram, 5,000 bags of dholl, 30 tons of ghee, 400 tons of flour, and 400 tons of atta to Mauritius as early as possible.
85. Difficulties arose in connexion with freight. An offer was received from the African Steam Navigation Company to take the cargo of gram, dholl, flour, and atta from Bombay for Rs. 125,000, including insurance against war risks, as compared with the usual rate of Rs. 25,000.
86. In view of the prohibitive rate quoted, and of the fact that the Govern- ment of India reported that shipments were being made on private account, it was decided that the order for rice should be reduced to 50,000 bags, or an approximate quantity, at the discretion of the Government of India, according to the arrange- ments which could conveniently be made for shipment, and that the order for gram, dholl, flour, and atta, should not be proceeded with.
87. On the 29th August the Government of India telegraphed that they had received an offer of 7,000 tons of Rangoon rice from Messrs. Bullock Brothers at the cost of Rs. 10 annas 9 per bag, including freight, insurance, and war risks, the rice to be loaded at Rangoon in the middle of September. This offer was accepted by the Mauritius Government with the modification that the price should be Rs. 10.40 per bag, and should not include insurance against war risks. It was arranged to pay cash at Rangoon on telegraphic notification that the bills of lading had been delivered to the Collector of Customs there.
88. Owing to the activities of the German cruiser "Emden" in the Bay of Bengal the departure of the ship from Rangoon was delayed, and the cargo reached Mauritius on the 14th November by the 8.8. "Canara.”
89. In the morning of the 11th September a number of the poorer classes gathered in groups in the streets of Port Louis complaining of the dearness of food and scarcity of work. They also threatened the Chinese and Indian traders. At the invitation of the Honourable Dr. E. Laurent a number of people assembled at Government House. The Acting Governor directed them to dispersa, and at a later hour received a deputation. The members of the deputation were unable to show that they were suffering from avoidable hardship or that work was not readily obtainable for labourers.
During the afternoon a considerable crowd assembled in the Place d'Armes and Royal Street, and, on account of reports of looting, it was found necessary to ask for the assistance of the military authorities in clearing the streets.
90. On the 14th September, in accordance with a decision taken early in the previous week, a Proclamation was issued fixing the maximum retail price of rice, sugar, and salt; the price of rice, with the exception of the most costly varieties, being fixed at eleven cents per half kilogramme.
91. Arrangements were made for the sale of the cargo of rice received from India at Rs. 11.50 per bag wholesale, and Rs. 12 per bag of (744 kilos) ex quay through Messrs. Scott & Company.
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MAURITIUS.
By the end of December 65,000 bags out of the whole cargo of 101,000 bags had been disposed of, and it is estimated that the whole cargo will have been sold by the middle of February.
92. To ensure that the poorer classes shall continue to be able to obtain rice at a cheap rate, another cargo of Rangoon rice, to be delivered in Mauritius early in March, has been purchased at the cheaper rate of Rs. 9.50 per bag c.i.f. Port
Louis.
98. Food supplies ordered from India by merchants arrived in the end of November and beginning of December, and on 14th December a further Proclama- tion was issued fixing the retail price of various staple articles of food, and Ordinance No. 50 of 1914 was passed to give power to Government to obtain information as to the stocks of food and other articles of commerce available in the island.
94. Five thousand tons of vesou sugar have been purchased by the Colonial Government for local consumption at the same price as the sugar bought by His Majesty's Government.
This sugar is being retailed at the rate of 14 cents per half kilogramme. 95. A scheme for the supply of food to the civil population by Government, which will be brought into force should the need arise, has been drawn up by The Mr. G. M. Harriott, C.S.I., C.I.E., Consulting Engineer for Irrigation. main features of the scheme are that Government stocks will be held in Port Louis, by wholesale merchants, or in warehouses under Government officials, under the charge of a controlling officer appointed by the Governor.
The distribution to the people will be made through the existing retail merchants as far as possible, and, failing them, directly through Government agents. The arrangements will be managed by a Central Board in Port Louis, assisted by District Boards, one for each District, with additional Boards where necessary. 96. Mr. Harriott has also prepared a scheme for providing work for the unemployed on estates or on Government public works in the event of distress becoming acute. It has not hitherto been found necessary to have recourse to special measures to relieve unemployment.
XVIII. Position of Banks.
97. On the 8th August a telegram was received from the Secretary of State stating that he had authorized the Governor of Seychelles to issue notes to the Bank of Mauritius in Seychelles against planters' bills to the value of Rs. 250,000 deposited by the Bank of Mauritius.
Bills to the value of Rs. 250,000 were selected and deposited in the Treasury on the 10th August, and the Governor of Seychelles was so informed.
98.
The bills were released on 16th October, on receipt of information from the Governor of Seychelles that the advance to the Bank of Mauritius had been repaid. On 7th August the Secretary of State telegraphed that the Bank of Mauritius had applied for a loan from the Government of Mauritius up to £50,000 as required, on the security of planters' bills to be deposited with Govern- ment, in order that it might be in a position to meet the demands of planters in respect of the current crop. The Secretary of State suggested that, if good bills to not less than twice the amount of the loan were tendered, money might be advanced to the bank on that basis.
99. The Government of Mauritius suggested that the loan should be issued to the bank on condition that their rate of discount on planters' bills should not exceed 9 per cent. during the continuance of the loan, and that the interest payable to Government by the bank should be at the rate of 7 per cent. Rs. 750,000 was advanced to the Bank of Mauritius on those terms on 18th October, and repaid by the bank on 19th November.
A sum of
100. Some resentment was expressed by the Directors of the Commercial Bank and others that the Bank of Mauritius had been made the sole agent of His Majesty's Government for the purchase of sugar in Mauritius. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Mauritius expressed the opinion that persona interested in the Commercial Bank might go so far as to close their accounts with the Bank of Mauritius in order to hamper the financial arrangements for purchasing the sugar required for His Majesty's Government.