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On this point I have no precise information, and it will be perceived that the dissentients themselves speak somewhat vaguely.

10. Because the re-establishment of the right to a free return passage, far from facilitating the emigration of females, would produce a contrary effect, as the past experience of emigration has proved that when an immigrant leaves India with the idea of returning, he is much less inclined to bring his wife and family with him; so that the proposed measure would, in that respect, increase rather than diminish the difficulties of our agents.

To this argument I have already replied in my remarks on "Reason I."

11. Because with respect to the fear of an excess of population in this Colony, the past history of immigration has proved that the vagrants whose stay is hurtful to the island are not those who wish to go, and who would leave us if they were entitled to a return passage. By far the larger number of that class remained here under the former system, and the same thing would very likely occur in ten years hence.

It is not only vagrants whose stay is hurtful to the Colony. It is with the too rapid increase of a population, to meet the wants created by which increase, no adequate provision has been made, that I desire to contend.

12. Because our labouring population having considerably increased since twenty years by the permanent settlement of Indian immigrants, and the number of births being likely to exceed more and more that of the deaths on account of the daily increasing proportionate number of females, this Colony is likely to find amongst its resident populations more and more of the labour which it requires, and the number of future immigrants wanted from India will undoubtedly be much less than it was in the past. The more so as the expense of introducing immigrants is now paid directly by the planter who asks for the men, instead of being, as formerly, paid from the general revenue of the Colony, and the cost for each man averaging from 91. to 131. is materially increased by the desertion and death of a proportion of the men during five years, and by the comparative inefficiency of their labour during the first two- years, which makes it more advantageous to employ old immigrants at rates of wages nearly double that of the new immigrants at the Government scale, beginning at 5 rupees per month. So that the population, which has scarcely increased for the last few years, from the excess of arrivals over departures, is not likely to increase sensibly from that source during the next ten years.

I have read this long and involved sentence several times without being able to feel at all certain that I have fully comprehended its meaning.

It appears to contain an inaccurate conclusion, founded on an inaccurate hypothesis.

It is true that the population of the island has not much increased, but it is far from being the fact that the excess of arrivals over departures during the last ten years is inappreciable. It is wholly due to this excess that there has not been a portentous decrease in the population. But it is not to be expected that the causes which have, during the last few years, decimated the population, will continue to operate; and when they ocase the effects, both direct and reflected, of the influx of immigrants will again be felt.

The number of Indians introduced during the last ten years, 1880–70, was 81,163; the number of departures, 29,459.

With all deference to the opinion of the dissentients, this appears to me a considerable excess, and that it did not permanently increase the population is due only to the frightful mortality of the last six years, which we may hope will not recur.

13. Because the inference that planters having requisitioned for 7,000 men in 1871, and for 8,000 during the first four months of 1872, and having only received 2,760, are still in want of 12,240 men, would be erroneous; as unexecuted requisitions lapsing after twelve months, 5,000 of the 8,000 men, requisitioned for this year, must be held to replace the same number of last year, for which the requisitions have lapsed.

This is true; but even if the lowest figures be taken, the disproportion between the number asked for, and the number induced to come, is very startling, especially when contrasted with the comparative case with which labourers are obtained for the West Indies.

14. Because a few hundred vagrants or inefficient labourers who, in ten years hence, might annually avail themselves of their free return passage, could produce no appreciable benefit in regard to over population, or in a sanitary point of view.

In the eleventh reason the opinion was expressed that it was not the vagrants who would avail themselves of the right.

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15. Because the remedy against overcrowding and idleness will be better found in proper sanitary and vagrancy laws, which might provide for our present and future requirements in this respect, and has already been pointed out by several authorities, and indicated by the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos in his despatch of the 6th June, 1868, addressed to Sir Henry Barkly.

I by no means dispute this position, but it does not appear to me to afford an argument against the resumption of free return passages.

16. Because, in a pecuniary point of view, the obligation on the part of this Government to provide gratuitous back passages, might entail upon the Colony a considerable, and, as regards both time and amount, an uncertain expenditure, which might befall Mauritius just at the time when it would be less able to support it; and no attempt has been made in supporting the Resolution to estimate the probable charge, or to indicate from what source an adequate additional revenue could be raised in order to meet it. Besides, if largely taken advantage of by future immi- grants, their departure would impose a very heavy outlay on planters in the shape of the introduction of new men to replace the labourers who would be thus lost; to say nothing of the money carried out of the Colony by future time-expired immi- granta.

That it would entail an uncertain and possibly considerable expenditure is true. Nevertheless, if the measure be in itself just and expedient, this would not form an adequate reason for its abandonment.

17. Because the granting of a free return-passage to future immigrants, whilst we have now in this Colony fully 100,000 male immigrants who are not entitled to it, would engender a strong feeling of jealousy, and envy among the latter, and become a serious and well-founded source of discontent. The Demerara Commissioners report that the Chinese immigrants who are not entitled to a return-passage there, whilst the Indian immigrants are, feel this as a very sore point.

There is very considerable force in this argument, and if it be proposed to concede the right to those already in the Colony, my only hesitation in agreeing to that proposal will be due to a fear of the expense which might be thus received.

But at the same time there would be a very intelligible difference between those who came here with the full knowledge and understanding that a return-passage would not be found them, and those who would come hereafter.

The distinction I may observe already exists, for all those who came here before 1853 are still entitled to a free return passage; but I am not aware that their possession of this right, and an apprehension of "the jealousy and envy" it might excite among those who arriving subsequently would not be entitled to it, was at that time urged as a reason against the discontinuance of the privilege, which it might have been with equal force.

18. Because many countries have found it to their advantage to encourage and promote emigration by bounties, grants of land, or otherwise; but except the West Indian Colonies, which have had no option in this matter, we are not aware that any country has, of its own accord, offered free back passages in order to encourage its labouring population to re-emigrate.

This reason hardly I think requires any comment.

I inclose a copy of the printed papers referred to by the dissentients.

I have, &o. (Signed) ARTHUR GORDON.

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