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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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when you left. I cannot conceive that any person could infer you approved of what had no existence. The very mention I made of you in my covering letter to the Governor proved that the Report was not drawn up when you went away.

My official statement afterwards that I did not know whether or not you would have signed the Report had you seen it surely meets the same point.

I cannot answer for the newspaper statement quoted in your note; it is certainly quite inaccurate for the foregoing reasons.

More than this I really do not know what I can say. I cannot control newspaper remarks;

I am very sorry you have been annoyed, but I feel conscious that I tried to do what lay in my power to protect your interests in the matter in your absence, and I was in hopes you would have understood that I did so.

John Fraser, Esq.,

&c.

&c.

&c.

Gentlemen,

I remain, &c.

(Signed) E. SELBY SMYTH, Major-General.

Inclosure 9 in No. 57.

Reduit, April 19, 1872. IN reply to your letter of this day's date, I have the honour to inform you that, as the Commission has closed its proceedings and made its Report, my functions as Chairman have, of course, ceased.

All the papers connected with the Commission, including Mr. Fraser's draft Report, have been ordered to be sent in by the Secretary for record in the Colonial Secretary's Office in consequence of my departure from the Colony to-morrow forenoon. It will, therefore, I think, rest with Mr. Fraser to take what steps he may wish with regard to his draft, which, as I have already had the honour to inform you, was duly weighed and considered by his colleagues, when deliberating upon all the drafts, before adopting a General Report.

Pray, &c.

(Signed) E. SELBY SMYTH, Major-General.

The Hon. R. Stein and J. Currie, Esq.

No. 58.

The Earl of Kimberley to Governor the Hon. Sir A. H. Gordon, K.C.M.G.

(No. 259.) Sir,

Downing Street, October 25, 1872.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 288, of the 19th of September, forwarding observations by the Police Inquiry Commissioners on Mr. Fraser's reasons of dissent from their Report.

I have, &c. (Signed)

KIMBERLEY.

No. 59.

The Earl of Kimberley to Governor the Hon. Sir A. H. Gordon, K.C.M.G.

(No. 260.) Sir,

Downing Street, October 25, 1872.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 290, of the 20th of September, forwarding a letter addressed by Colonel O'Brien to the Royal Commissioners, submitting his reasons for disagreeing with the Report of the Police Inquiry Commission, and letters from Mr. Justice Gorrie and Captain Blunt, to whom you communicated copies of Colonel O'Brien's letter, commenting thereon.

I have to request that you will cause Captain Blunt's and Mr. Gorrio's letters to be laid before the Royal Commissioners, if you have not already done so.

I have, &c. (Signed) KIMBERLEY.

Sir,

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No. 60.

India Office to Colonial Office.

WITH reference to your letter of the 21st of December, 1871, and to further

India Office, October 28, 1872. correspondence in February, relative to the Labour Laws of Mauritius and the condi- tion of Indian immigrants in that Colony, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council, to forward to you, for submission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copy of two despatches, with their respective inclosures, received from the Government of India.

2. Upon the questions forming the subject of both these despatches, the Indian Government has, the Earl of Kimberly will observe, addressed itself direct to the Government of Mauritius, communicating to that Government the former despatch itself, with the exception of paragraphs 18 and 19.

3. This earlier despatch, and the documents which accompany it, have reference more particularly to the grievances of the Indian coolies in Mauritius, styled “Old Immigrants," and the shortcomings of the Protector of Immigrants, Mr. Beyts, in the performance of his duties, as these matters are disclosed in the evidence obtained by the Police Inquiry Commission appointed by the Governor of Mauritius in November, 1871, and on the Report finally submitted by that Commission on the 9th of April last, or else adverted to in the inclosures to your letter of the 21st of December, 1871, above cited. The Government of India further point out what are their powers as regards terminating the emigration, as well as what will be their duty in that respect, unless they are assured of the adoption of measures for removing the abuses which have been brought to light, and insuring the proper treatment of all Indian immigrants in the Colony, and are further kept fully informed of the condition of such immigrants.

4. The later despatch from the Indian Government herewith transmitted, No. 26, commnnicates their reply to the Government of Mauritius, to a letter addressed to them by that Government, forwarding a protest by Mr. Beyts against certain of the remarks and conclusions contained in the Report of the Police Inquiry Commission. Lord Kimberley will perceive that this protest has not modified the opinion entertained by the Indian Government regarding the Protector's performance or perception of his duties; that opinion having been formed, not from the Report of the Commission, but after careful perusal of the evidence given by the Protector himself, and the clerks in his office.

5. Lord Kimberley will observe that the Government of Bengal, in their letters Nos. 1,933 and 2,231 advert to the existing mode of recruiting labourers in India for Mauritius, and point out that, while the coolies immigrating to the Colony do not seem to enjoy the direct protection of the Colonial Government, neither have they the advantage of choosing their masters, the higher wages offered by some of the planters in their requisitions not being published by the Agent at Calcutta for Mauritius. The Secretary to the Bengal Government, while pointing out the deprivation caused to intending emigrants by this reticence on the part of the Agent, states that the ques- tion of making known the best offers rests, as the law now stands, with the Mauritius Government.

6. I am desired by the Duke of Argyll to request that, in submitting the above papers to Lord Kimberley, you will observe to his Lordship that no intimation was made to the India Office respecting the appointment of the Police Commission in November last, for the purpose, in great part, of investigating complaints preferred by Indian emigrants at Mauritius; nor have the evidence or Report been communicated to this office. The Duke of Argyll would be glad, I am to add, that a copy of these documents were now furnished to this Department, as well as of Mr. Beyts' protest referred to by the Indian Government, which paper, also, has not been supplied to His Grace.

7. I am further to observe, that the Duke of Argyll was not informed of the appointment of the Royal Commission nominated in February last to inquire into the condition of Indian labourers at Mauritius.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

HERMAN MERIVALE.

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