CO882-(2-3) — Page 29

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference

TIITTICO

882

2

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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3. Doorgachurn, Old Immigrant, No. 60,692, labourer.

In the month of February, 1871, being on my road to obtain a pass, having at the time a reference to the Stipendiary Magistrate of Pamplemousses, which I showed to the police sergeant who arrested me; notwithstanding this, he detained me in the prison cell during three days (I was arrested on a Friday). I was then taken to the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court, and condemned to five days' hard labour, not having means to procure redress for such grievance, and then had to apply on four successive days, and to walk each day, for that purpose, a distance of sixteen miles, before I could obtain the same.

I also find myself continually detained on my way to Port Louis with the produce of my garden; and, on one occasion, about three months ago (deposition taken 16th April, 1871), during three hours' time, which greatly injured the sale of my goods. (Here follows the signature.)

4. Ramchurn, Old Immigrant, No. 15,673, gardener at Mr. Lafond's estate, Nouvelle Découverte.--About twenty months ago (deposition taken 16th April, 1871), I was sleeping under the verandah of my friend Rajchunder, and at about 4 o'clock in the morning, I was arrested by four constables and a serjeant of police. I had at the time with me an old immigrant's ticket; but I had not been able, through sickness, to obtain four shillings for a photograph. Through not having this, I was arrested, and bound with a cord, walked all round Nouvelle Découverte, and from there to Pample- mousses, a distance of at least twelve miles. I was locked up at night without food, brought before the Magistrate of Pamplemousses, and by him condemned as a vagabond to six days' imprisonment with hard labour.

After the expiration of my sentence I was sent to Port Louis for a ticket to the depôt, where I was detained three days, when I found a friend who advanced me twenty- four shillings, with which I obtained a ticket, and was liberated.

(Here follows the signature.)

5. Ramluckhun, gardener at Nouvelle Découverte.

About a year ago, having prepared everything for my marriage, and spent for that purpose a sum of 50 dollars, I was on the very day that it was to take place hindered from doing so, for the following reasons. A sergeant of police and two constables came to my house and knocked at the door, which I opened, when the sergeant entered in spite of my remonstrances, and, looking all round with the help of his lantern, it being then early in the morning, bade me come out, without allowing me time to dress, asked for my papers, which I immediately produced, consisting of my photograph ticket, a police pass for the district of Pamplemousses, lease of ground, and a permit for the sale of the produce of my garden in the said district; in spite of which I was taken by him to the high road, where I found many others who had also been arrested. I was then tied up had to leave my poor and marched to Moka, where I was locked up for two days.

aged parents, of whom I am the sole support, which I explained to the sergeant, and was taken before the magistrate the third day, to whom I explained my case, and was told to return on the following Friday, which I did, and had to do by order of the magistrate for three consecutive Fridays. At last I was released, no reasons whatsoever liaving been given me for such proceedings, which caused me a very serious loss. In fact, up to the present time, I have not been able to recover from it.

(Here follows the signature.)

6. Hookum, in the service of Mrs. Polloreau and Co., Pamplemousses.

On Saturday, the 7th May, 1871, I proceeded to Nouvelle Découverte to sign a petition to the Governor of the Colony, and, on my return, met the Sergeant of Long I told him that, having Mountain Police Station, who asked me where I was going to.

been to sign a petition, I was returning home; nevertheless, he arrested me, tied me by the hands, and marched me to the Station, then he compelled me to fetch water and clean the Station, and then locked me up for the night without food. The nart morning my hands were again tied with a cord, and I was marched to Pamplemousses, where I was given some rice and salt, which was put in my capra, and then taken before the magistrate, who did not condemn me; but the next day, having appeared before him, I was condemned to four days' imprisonment with hard labour.

(Here follows the signature.)

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7. Budha, Old Immigrant, No. 180,788, on the estate of M. Tessier, Nouvelle Découverte.

About a year ago, during the night towards the morning, hearing a noise of voices in the yard, and going out to see what was the matter, I found my house, as well as those of my neighbours, surrounded by constables, whom I recognised to belong to the Pamplemousses, Villebague, and Moka Police Stations; they entered into our houses, and compelled us to come out of them. They then asked us for our tickets and police passes. We were thirty-two in number, and had our photograph tickets, the leases for the ground we occupied, and our police passes for the district of Pamplemousses, in which district, as our leases showed, we resided; notwithstanding which, we were forcibly tied two by two and marched from our homes and our hard-earned property, some of us leaving our wives and children weeping with grief, others who had but little furniture, gardener's tools, and some fowls, and no one to take care of them during our absence, were obliged to leave them at the merey of any evilly disposed persons. This occurred on a Saturday. We were then taken to Moka, locked up there from that day until Monday at 10 .., when we were taken before the magistrate, who, after seeing our papers, told us to return on Friday, and threatened that should we omit to do so we should be fined 5 dollars each.

Having no idea what the law was or might be, we clubbed together to procure legal advice, at the rate of 1 dollar per man, and accordingly were joined by an advocate at that court on the above mentioned day. When our case was called we did not know what was said by our advocate or the magistrate, but the result was, that our case was remitted four days, three times consecutively; after which we were released.

We had thus travelled backwards and forwards about 200 miles, having to suffer expenses, and some of us the total loss of our property.

(Here follow eleven signatures.

8. Suroop, Old Immigrant, No. 18,682, gardener at M. Bourquet's estate, Nouvelle Découverte.

In the month of January 1871, I was informed that my friend Lalchurn, at Poudre d'Or, was very ill; accordingly I started to go and see him. I was near M. de Chazal's estate, when I met a serjeant of police, who arrested me, locked me up for the night, and brought me next day before the Magistrate at Poudre d'Or, I showed my ticket and police pass to the Magistrate, but the pass being for the district of Pam- plemousses I was condemned as a vagabond to one month's imprisonment with hard labour.

(Here follows the signature.)

9. Seeowen, Old Immigrant No. 257,105, gardener at Mr. Pitot's property.

In the month of September or October 1869, I went to Pamplemousses to obtain u police pass, I went about ten times for this without being able to obtain it. At last 1 was told that to obtain this police pass, I must have Mr. Argent's signature at Port Louis. I asked for protection to go to Port Louis, and was told it was not necessary. I went to Port Louis, was arrested near the door of the Immigration Depôt, although I had my ticket and all my papers with me, taken before the Police Magistrate at Port Louis, and sentenced by him to one month's imprisonment with hard labour.

(Here follows the signature.)

10. Ubeluck, Old Immigrant, No. 241,318, labourer.

On the 10th February 1871, I was in the service of the Indian Garbi as dairyman. I fell sick and left him. During my sickness I lost my ticket and police pass. I went to the depot and paid five shillings for a pass for one month to find employment. On the 10th March I went to the depot and had to pay twenty-two shillings, and after three days' walking to the depot, I obtained my present ticket with photograph. I proceeded then along the road to Pamplemousses to find employment, but being very weak, I stopped at a livery stable, where I became worse and worse and lay sok there with fever up to the 6th April; on the 7th April I obtained employment with M. de Plevitz. The latter gave me a certifiaste that I was employed with him as a general labourer,

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