PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
། ། ། ། ། ། C.O.
( 62 )
whom have been baptized. They seem to receive no moral training whatever when old enough for it; 4 are orphans, the 3 others are with their mothers.
27. Your Excellency will observe, in the Report on the insane woman Pretty," that she was found by the Acting Inspector with bons in her possession amounting to $20 40ct. Had this woman died, what would have become of the bons, representing about eight months wages in money?
There is also to be considered, when are the allotted Africans (I am not speaking of free labourers) to return to Mahé to have their bons cashed? Are they bound to expend their money,
when received, in the store? If they be thrifty and take their money back with them to the island (if they re-engage), having no place of surety away from their domiciles, will not the risks be the same, if not more than if they were paid regularly the small monthly amounts due them? It is clear also that under a manager they distrusted (Mr. V. Morin), the Africans were dissatisfied with payment by bons; the impression was they were not fairly treated. There is nothing to guarantee them against the I have no objection, either, to placing a constable on the island, if recurrence of this. hereafter it should be deemed necessary. The Acting Inspector thinks there will be no The Africans will not rob each other or the manager. They will necessity for it. behave as well as labourers in other islands.
28. If it be deemed best not to give the money to the Africans, it should, in my opinion, be paid to the Inspector to be deposited in the Treasury, the African obtaining a receipt for it.
29. The system of payment by bone has generally been disapproved of, no doubt on On the whole I think, on sufficient grounds. The estate might become insolvent. principle, the petition of Messrs. Brooks and Dupuy, to allow the old system to continue (it was contrary to law), should not be granted by your Excellency.
30. I have included Messrs. Brooks and Dupuy's petition and the question of bons in this supplementary report because I corsider it of much importance that the labourer should always receive his honey wage regularly. When, either by giving goods or bons, or by delay, this has not been done, the statistics and reports show, on the whole, that the labourer is likely to lose. The past management of the Africans on these islands, as far as is known (although there is nothing now left to seriously complain of), does not serve to inspire sufficient confidence to permit any departure from the rules laid down.
31. Your Excellency will perceive by the supplementary report of the Acting Inspector that I have caused him to settle many cases before the judge in chambers. I consider the arrangement satisfactory when all parties are willing to abide the decision of the magistrate.
I have, &c. (Signed)
C. S. SALMON, Chief Civil Commissioner,
( 63 )
WAGES due to AFRICANS at DENIS ISLAND for which Boss were given by MANAGERS.
Amounts for which Bons were given.
Date since wages vide Bons are due, .., date of
1st Bon.
New
No.
Names.
or
Old
Average rate of wages | for 1875.
Dedaction made for absence, &c. for 1875.
Balance due for 1875.
Jemimah Rachel
Juste
Harmeline
Frederica
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz5d
*449-86NSONONOK----
ct.
et.
139 178
42 50
3 65
8 38
39 50
3 16
86 84
169
Rose -
89 50
10 38
29 12
143
38
25
1 76 36 49
151
Magreths
39 50
8 83 31
167
Pretty
39 50
6 01
39
260
85 0
2 48
32
130
38 25
5 38
32
140
Jessy
31 50
3 62
27
114 504
Dalby
39 0
2 51
36 49
Emma
15 0
0 96
14 04
513
Fanny
1.5 0
2 38
12
498
Dalby 2
15 0
58
14
42
480
Thomy Dart
35 25
17
26 08
164
Pauline
26 50
1 85
24
55
Damas
5 0
0
5
529
Henry
19 0
1 20
16 80
475
William
28
0
1 41
26 59
68.885826898656KXRA
et.
40
ct. 84
81 28
-87 77
42 8.3
29 47
15 January 1874.
24 June 1874.
15 January 1875.
Do.
24 June 1874.
20 40
15 January 1875.
21 39
Do.
87
24
87
15 January 1874.
14
27
15 January 1875.
33
24
9 October 1873.
3 62
1 June 1875.
2 71
Do.
10
14
Do.
7 93
Do.
16 84
1 September 1875.
2 57
1 January 1876.
6 78
11 18
1 September 1875.
Do.
$587 25
64 83 472 42
356 74
164 Pauline commenced to work at Denis Island in May 1875.
55 Dumas
"
529 Henry
475 William
,
This Return shows as not yet paid :
J
"
"
1 Bon, dated October 1878,
November 1875'
•
July 1875
May 1875
All others worked all the year through.
(Signed) H. LEIPSIC,
Acting Inspector.
a term of 2 years 7 months.
2
"
16 January 1874
2
5
"
"
"
2
17
24 June 1874
1
11
"
"
44
5
"
16 January 1875
1
5
"
"
4
11
1 June 1875
0
11
11
"1
"
3
"9
September 1875
0
8
99
".
"
1
1
January 1876
0
4
11
"
#
882
3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Denis Island.
During my last visit to Denis Island, I found, during my inspection, one of the New African women, named Pretty, No. 167, in her hut with a young child in her arms; she appeared to be insane, but was not violent. The manager informed me that she had been that way for about three weeks, and that he had wrote to Mr. Dupuy about her, and was waiting for an order to send her to Mahé per next opportunity. I asked her whether she had any bons, but she did not answer me, but after repeating my question she pulled them out of her bosom tied up in a piece of rag. The child was about three years old, of the female sex. inquired of the other Africans whether she had been living with any- body on the island, and if they knew the father, on which subject no one could give me any information, because she had never lived with any man, but it is supposed that a man named Pierre, a native of Madagascar, was the father of the child, and who had left the island long since. I told the manager to send per to Mahé her first opportunity, for treatment, and her engagement has since been cancelled, and the amount due to ber, i.e., $20 40ct. paid over to me. The woman is now in Road Camp, and when I last saw her had somewhat recovered her senses.
(Signed) H. LEIPSIC,
Acting Inspector of Africans.
18 Bons.
These, the Acting Inspector informs me, were the first aud only bons given, and for which has now the money on deposit for the Africans. Money was never given to the labourers. Goods were given, and before the above-enumerated bons all payments due were so given, i.e., the wages being less the first years, according to tariff. The people seem to have spent all in the store.
None of these people can come to Mahé, they can only come on the expiration of their allotment term or service term, and therefore can receive no money until then, under the system of payment by bons. The local manager does not pay bons. All bons are paid at Mr. Dupuy's shop at Port Victoria.
Seychelles, 25 May 1876.
C. S. SALMON,
Chief Civil Commissioner.
(Signed)
EXPLANATIONS on the TABULAR STATEMENTS, etc., vide REPORT on the TREATMENT ON
the LIBERATED AFRICANS located at SEYCHELLES in the year 1875.
1. The number of Africans mentioned in Statement No. I does not include those born at Seychelles.
2. The term "Old" refers to Africans whose time of first contract of service on introduction has expired, and at liberty to engage and work where they please.
3. The term "New" refers to Africans who are still under their first contract of service.
Very few Africans after their first contract of service has expired re-engage, and prefer
to work with proprietors on halves in the line of cultivation, or from month to month, so
H 4
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