CO882-(3-4) — Page 197

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:

C.O.

882

3

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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2. You describe the squatters as a class, who disliking regular work, have betaken themselves to the hills in Mahé, and finding a retreat in the deep ravines, and obtaining a somewhat questionable subsistence from the vegetables they raise, or from the cucoa nuts which they are alleged to steal, escape all fixed labour, and lead a life of vagabond- ism as demoralising to themselves as it is prejudicial to public order.

3. It is no doubt essential to the general welfare and comfort of the respectable and industrious portion of the community that such a class of persons should be brought under some more effectual system of law than that which had been passed in 1874, under which the landowners continued to be subjected to the depredations of these squatters, while the latter from their habits of life contributed neither to the agricultural and industrial development of the colony, nor to the payment of local rates for the con- struction of roads, bridges, and for the expenses of primary education.

4. You have accordingly repealed the Regulation No. 7 of 1874, and have passed an amended one No. 4 of 1875, which, among other things, provides adequate means for searching out the class of squatters referred to, and for registering them, and enforcing the payment of the rates assessed. In connection with this Regulation you have passed Regulation No. 3 of 1975 which supplements No. 6 of 1874, and provides more effective remedies for checking larcenies of cocoa nuts, I am only sorry that such a measure should be necessary; but relying upon your judgment that it is necessary, and in confidence of the spirit in which it will be administered, I do not hesitate to give it my approval.

5. As regards another class of inhabitants which Mr. Le Marchand also places apparently in the category of vagabonds but which you describe as persons who live moitié- on the estates of the small proprietors, and are cultivators of the land on the moitié" tenure, I am prepared to accept your view that the Regulations Nos. 9 and 10 of 1874 unduly interfered with their freedom, as regards the disposal of their labour, and have not been attended with satisfactory results.

6. Although the "moitié-moitié' tenure may have the effect of reducing the amount of labour procurable by the holders of large estates, the memorial enclosed in your despatch shows that the system was a beneficial one in many respects, and suitable to the conditions of the colony.

I approve therefore of the repeal of the Regulations Nos. 9 and 10 of 1874 which has been effected by No. 2 of 1875.

7. I have every reason to believe that your visit to the Seychelles will be productive of good, and I shall be glad to hear at some future time what has been the result of your endeavours to check the evils complained of, and to promote by these well-con- sidered measures the general prosperity of those islands.

No. 16.

I have, &c. (Signed)

CARNARVON.

GOVERNOR SIR A. PHAYRE, K.C.S.I., C. B. to the EARL OF CARNARVON.

No. 95.

MY LORD,

(Received May 3rd 1876.) Mauritius, March 18th, 1876.

On the occasion of my visit to the Seychelles Islands in September and October last, I inquired carefully into the condition of the liberated Africans now there. The present acting inspector of liberated Africans is Mr. H. Leipsic, the chief officer of police. Finding that no report had been rendered, regarding the liberated Africans, for 1874, I directed that he should be required to draw up one as soon as possible.

2.

now have the honour to submit to your Lordship copy of the report, dated the 23rd September 1875, with 16 annexures, and also of the letter of the 30th idem from the Chief Civil Commissioner, containing his remarks thereon.

3. The report disclosed many abuses which required correction. I directed a letter to be written in reply to the Chief Civil Commissioner, and I have the honour to submit a copy thereof dated the 4th October 1875. It will not be necessary for me to repeat the directions given therein or to state my own views, as they are expressed in the above- mentioned letter. There are, however, two points on which an explanation appears called

for.

1. As to what is called the double cut," it has been considered advisable to await the legislative enactment on this subject for Indian labourers in Mauritius before proceeding to pass a law thereon for the Seychelles.

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2. The question of reduction of marriage fees is also under consideration in Mauritius. 4. The reforms in respect to the treatment of liberated Africans which it was con- sidered advisable at once to carry out, were embodied in three Regulations, numbered 5, 6, and 7, of 1875. They were passed by the Board of Civil Commissioners on the 14th October last before I left Mahe, I beg to enclose copies thereof for your Lordship's information; I also add copy of the Regulations regarding wages of liberated Africans. These, under the existing law, required to be passed by the Governor in Executive Council. They were so passed on the 29th of February 1876.

5. In the report for 1875 which

hope to forward soon, I trust that a marked improvement in the treatment and the condition of the liberated Africans at the Seychelles Islands, will be apparent.

The Right Honourable Earl of Carnarvon.

SIR,

I have, &c.

(Signed)

A P. PHAYRE.

Report No. 11,

TO THE CHIEF CIVIL COMMISSIONER, SEYCHELLES,

Seychelles, September 23rd, 1875. I HAVE the honour to submit to you the report of my inspection of the liberated Africans located in the Islands of Mahé Praslin, La Dique, Silhouette, Denis, North Fregate, Curieuse, Felicité, Sister Marianne, Stag and St. Anne.

In forwarding the accompanying report I beg to state that I am unable to give so correct an account of all Africans located in the Islands aforesaid on their treatment as I should have wished to, because Regulation No. 4 of 1872 does not authorise the inspector of Africans to inspect Africans employed in private dwelling houses, whereas I am convinced that in some private dwelling houses the Africans are treated worse than those employed on the estates.

I have however been able to gather such information as may be necessary respecting baptism, marriages, living in concubinage without exceeding my authority.

Whilst endeavouring to obtain the above particulars from occupiers of private dwelling houses, I have only met with one objection, that was by Mr. Brown a barrister- at-law, who stated that he had no objection to give the required information to the inspector of Africans, because it being the first time, but that as a principle and future guidance, he begged to inform the inspector that his authority did not extend to private dwelling-houses.

Mr. Brown to a certain extent, and as far as the Regulation above mentioned is concerned may be very correct, and I have every reason to believe that he treats his Africans well enough, but this is no reason, why those Africans employed as servants in private dwelling houses, and especially minors should not receive the same protection, than those employed on the estates in field labour &c.

I bring to your notice one case in particular, where the Inspector of Africans prosecuted on behalf of the minor boy Colenso for wages due to him since the age he being entitled to any. See Report, No. 10, dated 8th September 1875.

The following is a full detail of such particulars not inserted in the statistical returns hereto annexed :-

1. I am not prepared to state that I have not omitted any of the Africans located in the islands aforesaid, because there are many women and even some men who are not employed at all, and no doubt concealed themselves, or were concealed by proprietors, during my inspection in order to evade the law.

2. The statement of those Africans who are actually employed on estates as labourers is, to the best of my belief, correct.

3. The statement in respect to the number of Africans absent from the estates during each month of 1874 is according to the books kept by the proprietors.

4. An account of those estates on which I was able to obtain this information is given only.

5. The number of births, deaths, and marriages for the year 1874 and first six months of 1875 is drawn up according to the register kept by the officers of the civil status.

6. The number of Africans actually sent to the public hospital by the inhabitants appear to be very small in comparison with the number put down as sick on the estates, and it is shown that very few of the large proprietors have sent any of their Africans at

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