CO882-(2-3) — Page 376

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.882

2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

Other expenses at Mauritius.

Shipment expans at Calcutta.

Other expenses at Calcutta.

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18. In a pecuniary point of view, this obligation, on the part of Government, to provide gratuitous passages, is very objectionable. It entails upon the Colony a considerable and, as regards both time and amount, uncertain expenditure on account of those passages, a needless anticipation of its future resources, and a largo continuous outlay for fresh labour to supply the place of that which it causes the Colony to be deprived of, to say nothing of the large sums of money carried out of the Colony by the time-expired immigrants who have been induced by the promise of a free return- passage to hoard for that express purpose.

19. But that obligation is not in a pecuniary point of view the most objectionable. Its "prejudicial effects to the permanent settlement of Indian immigrants in the Colony," alluded to by the Council in its proceedings on 19th April, 1847, are, in the opinion of the Committee, of far more serious consequence. The immigrant leaving India with the promise of a free return-passage after a residence of five years ever keeps in view his right to such passage, and contemplates availing himself of it. This necessarily precludes any intention or prospect, on his part, of permanently settling in the Colony. He attaches himself to no master, to no place. He need not save, for he can return to his native country without any expense to himself, and if without any money in his pocket, he is no poorer than when he left it. He must be careful that he do not, in forming domestic ties, or otherwise, lose caste, as in India he would suffer for it. In short he looks upon himself, and has been taught so to do by those whose interest it is to inspire him with the very opposite notion, as a stranger and sojourner in a land which he ought never to make his home; and although he may, after his five years be tempted, by an increase of wages, or other circumstances, to prolong his stay in the Colony, he still contemplates quitting it, and consequently, never settles as he otherwise would do; but continues to rove about the island, changing every three or four months his master, if he engage with one at all, perfectly contented with the miserable peculium he carries about his person. Such, generally is the case, and singular to say, that which engenders and fosters this state of things has always been intended as a boon to the immigrants, whilst it proves to him, as well as to the Colony, a positive bane.

20. That the Indians, in sufficient numbers, would be willing to come to Mauritius without any such promise, the Committee can entertain no doubt, now that so many immigrants have returned to India with little fortunes in their possession, a marked improvement in both their physical and moral conditions, and, as must be, with a good report of the land they have visited. The Committee would rather doubt whether such promise has not a tendency to deter the Indians, especially the better sort and families, from coming to Mauritius by impressing them with the notion, that even a sojourn here could not be so advantageous to them, or a bribe would not be offered to obtain their assent to it.

21. Under all these circumstances it is confidently hoped, that his Excellency the Governor will take the matter into his most serious consideration, and press instantly upon the authorities at Home and in India the justice and expediency of immediately relieving the Colony, as regards immigration hereafter, from an obligation fraught with evils so grave and so patent as those which the Committee have represented,-- evils, it appears to them, attended by no redeeming circumstances whatever.

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22. The Committee, however, wish it to be distinctly understood, that they entirely approve of that clause of the Ordinance No. 25 of 1848, now in force, which authorizes the Governor to grant a free passage back to India to "any immigrant incapacitated from labour by infirmity, accident, or other cause."

23. "Other expenses at Mauritius 1,091." consists chiefly of " provisions and supplies to the depôt 2201.," "maintenance of Indian orphans 1561," and "Indian labourers at the depot 5401.," for "clothing and rations,"-none of which call for any particular remark, except the last item, 3001. of which, it is estimated, will be repaid to Government.

24. "Shipment expenses at Calcutta, 3,0001" is a diminution of one-half of what this item was estimated at for 1849. It is stated in the Report on the Estimate for 1850, that "the expense incurred for shipment of emigrants has latterly been about 188. 6d. per man, but it is contemplated that in Calcutta this expense may be a good deal reduced, and that at Madras," whence immigrants are also expected, "it will be insignificant." About half the outlay is "for bringing down emigrants from the provinces," the other half for clothing and food supplied to the emigrants while in the depot, and for the voyage.

25. "Other expenses at Caloutta 4401." are chiefly "office and depôt rent 2904” and "gratuities to invalids, &c. 1001"

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20. The Committee have stated the present expenses attending immigration, and Present system enumerated their various causes, It now remains for them to show how immigration objected to.

can be satisfactorily relieved from any of those causes. They believe that it admits scarcely of any such relief under the present system,-a system they hold to be so essentially faulty that they cannot but think and desire it should forthwith be got rid of, and be replaced by another more in harmony with the principles of Free Trade, about to be applied, in all their force, to the staple produce of the Colony, and with the right every man has to dispose of his labour on the terms which may suit him, and wherever he can legitimately render it available.

27. The present system, even omitting its most objectionable part, the free return passages, is burdensome to the whole community, and yet, from the nature of its restrictions, is felt to be beneficial to none. Few, if any, ever continuously obtain the quantity of labour they require, and if any do, it is at a rate of wages which they alone, from circumstances peculiar to themselves, are able to afford; while wages, in general, continue so high, so out of proportion to the work performed, that such proprietors as have been brought into difficulties, in consequence of Imperial Legisla- tion, or the late commercial crisis,-and these are not few,-see their utter ruin averted only by an unlooked-for rise in the price of their produce: a relief, however, which may be of so short a duration, as to prove to them ultimately rather hurtful than beneficial.

28. Six thousand male adult immigrants per annum,-the limited number now allowed to be introduced,-little exceed, as has already been shown, the number of deaths and departures; but being new hands, and not capable of the more difficult and fatiguing duties of a plantation, they do not, for at least a twelve month, make up for the defalcation in the amount of labour occasioned by the deaths and departures | much less for such defalcation increased, as it is, by the old hands abandoning sugar cultivation.

29. The Committee object to any such limitation. They submit that the inhabi- New system tants of this Colony should be permitted to engage labourers in any number (including, proposed. of course, a due proportion of women), and in any country where slavery does not exist, and where it might be expedient to appoint a Government Emigration Agent,-to come to Mauritius as labourers or otherwise,—without any obligation on the part of themselves or the Government to provide them, at any time, with a free return passage, or any terms with regard to remuneration, and for any period, not exceeding five years, which they and labourers might mutually agree to; the latter to be brought to Mauritius in vessels of any size, provided they afford such accommodation as is required by regulation for the conveyance of Her Majesty's troops; the Colony defraying only such expenses of agency and surveillance, abroad and in the Colony, as the Government might deem proper to incur, with a view to guard the labourers, before embarkation, against imposition, and to secure to them, as far as practicable on the voyage, all that would be conducive to their health and safety.

30. Were all this permitted, a system of immigration would be established which none could justly complain of; the extent of it would be regulated by the exigencies of the Colony; a better description of people would be introduced; the number of races and castes in the island would augment, tending to diminish combination and increase emulation; the baneful influence of the sirdar, and abduction and desertion from the estates, would be checked; servants would not be so constantly changing masters, nor so intent upon quitting the Colony; employers would feel more interest in the employed, and they would become more attached to each other; the levying of taxes specially applicable to immigration purposes would be no longer necessary; and wages would fall to what the planter could afford, and what it cannot be desirable they should exceed, where the wants of labourers are so few and so easily satisfied, and where a profitable investment of capital and the prosperity of a whole community are almost entirely dependent upon an adequate supply of predial labour.

31. By such a system, the Committee are of opinion, immigration might satis- factorily be relieved from the causes of expense they have represented as prejudicial to the interests of the Colony-one of them oven to those of the immigrants themselves; and they confidently hope that the time is at hand when immigration will cease to be fettered with conditions and restrictions which render it a poor and costly palliative, a choice of evils, instead of that which it ought to be, and under only proper restrictions would be, a great and permanent blessing.

32. On the particular advantages to be derived from the extension of the period of engagements to five years, the Committee think they need not enlarge. The considera-