CO882-(3-4) — Page 551

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

INCO. 882

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

4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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longer complained of. The Colonial press is free, and even too free. The right of meeting is exercised without obstacle, although it is subject to previous authorization for reasons which the public approves. Our trade is prosperous, and our agriculture Hourishing. The representations of all constituted bodies are always listened to with the greatest attention.

The Colonial taxes do not press heavily on any particular class. We enjoy all the advantages of free exchange, and of free navigation, that is to say that we purchase our articles of consumption without distinction of nationality, wherever we can have them at the cheapest rate, and we export our productions wherever we can obtain the highest prices. The island is furrowed with railways. We have direct steam communication with Europe, and we are on the eve of having one with Australia. Lastly, the finances of the Colony are in a most satisfactory state.

I think myself in a position to be able also to say, that the confidence which our system of Government inspires abroad, has not a little contributed to attract to our island the capital which has permitted it for some years past to develop in so wonderful a degree the natural resources which it possesses.

Can it be said that I am systematically hostile to the idea of an elective council, as one of our newspapers announced ? Certainly not. To decide in favour of it, I only want one thing, viz.: that it be proved that we can, without letting loose upon us the evils which have overwhelmed and which still overwhelm the greater part of the Colonies in which the political power is elective, establish on the same basis a legislative assembly in the bosom of our population, divided into a multitude of races, between which there exists no bond of nationality, religion, and patriotism, and who differ in their manners, in their customs, in their language, and even in their dress.

I admit that there is in our island talent which cannot without injustice be left indefinitely in the shade; concours which it is of public interest to seek out; legitimate ambitions which must even be satisfied for fear of irritating and making them dangerous; but cannot this problem be solved without shaking to its foundation the old edifice under whose shade our native country has grown and developed itself, in the midst of a calm and a repose which have often excited the admiration of statesmen, and the envy of the other Colonies ? I propose the question without solving it.

I shall wait, before pronouncing in a definitive manner for the result arrived at by the committee of reforms. May my fellow citizens follow my example. Let us not forget that the fault of our race, in politics, is to blindly obey first impressions, and to be too easily influenced by rhetoric. The eloquence of words, alas, is far commoner than that of actions. Let us not imitate those good French burgesses who, according to the happy expression of a statesman, spend half of their life in preparing changes in the Government, and the other half in regretting them.

I have the honour, &c.,

No. 3.

C. ANTELME.

LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR F. NAPIER BROOME, C.M.G., to the RIGHT HON. The EARL OF KIMBERLEY. (Received October 2, 1882.)

No. 408.

MY LORD,

Government House, Mauritius,

September 4, 1882. REFERRING to my despatch No. 307 of the 10th of July, I have the honour to transmit herewith, for your information, the printed Report of the public Committee which has been discussing changes in the political constitution of the Colony.

2. Until some paper officially reaches my hands, I do not feel called upon to any opinion upon the important questions which are involved in this Report.

express

3. I believe the next step in the proceedings of the Committee (which are being conducted in a very quiet and praiseworthy manner) will be, to submit their report to a public meeting, for which I shall readily give my authority. Finally, a petition to Her Majesty is, I understand, to be prepared and sent to me for transmission.

I have, &c.

The Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley,

&c.

&c.

&c.

(Signed) F. NAPIER BROOME.

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No. 4.

LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR F. NAPIER BROOME, C.M.G., to the RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY. (Received October 30, 1882.)

No. 441.

Government House, Mauritius, MY LORD,

September 14, 1882. I HAVE the honour to report that, on the 7th instant, I was present at the annual banquet which is given by the Municipality of Port Louis at the Hotel de Ville, in honour of the feast of St. Louis, the patron saint of the town.

2. The dinner this year was larger than usual, the company comprising over a hundred of the foremost men of the Colony. As may be supposed, a number of speeches were made. These will all be found in the files of the local papers trans- mitted to your Lordship by each mail; and, with this despatch, I need only enclose the report of the speech made by the Mayor (Mr. Lavoquer) in proposing my health, and of my speech in reply.

3. It will be seen that, in addition to some remarks of the usual after-dinner description, I referred to the movement, reported in my despatches* named in the margin, now in progress here in favour of introducing an elective element into the Council of Government. I spoke as follows:-

"In his speech, the Mayor referred to the movement which has been set on foot with the object of effecting a change in the Council of Government of an electoral and representative character. Well, gentlemen, I am not afraid of alluding to the subject (Cheers). At present I am not supposed to have any official knowledge of what is going on; and, until some paper is placed in my hands, I am not called upon to express any opinion on the matter. The questions which I see have been raised, and the proposals which are being made, are too grave and serious to be settled, or even discussed, in after-dinner speeches. I hope that, before any formal request is made, the whole case will be very carefully examined in all its bearings and all its facts; and I can fully promise that, should it be my duty to write to Her Majesty's Government upon the subject, my report will be the result of attentive study and of careful and anxious consideration of what is really best for this colony (Cheers). As an Englishman, I am naturally a believer in representative institutions, and my personal feelings are altogether in favour of elected assemblies as compared with nominated councils (Cheers). But, Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, it would be very improper of me were I to be guided by my personal feelings one way or another, in writing officially upon such a matter; and it may be depended that I shall consider any question placed before me solely and wholly from the point of view of what is really wisest and safest for the welfare of Mauritius, and that any humble recom- mendations I may be called upon to make will be made only with reference to the facts of the case, and to what is most likely to benefit the Colony (Cheers). You may also rest assured that Her Majesty's Government will consider and decide in the same spirit upon any proposals submitted to them. Of course I do not know what will be the result of the public discussions now going on. Perhaps no paper may ever reach my hands, and the movement may end before I officially know anything about it. But, as my friend the Mayor referred to it in his speech, and as I have read with great interest the accounts of what is taking place, I have ventured to say these few words on the subject."

4. So much has lately been said and written by the advocates of this constitutional movement on their side of the question, that I thought it wise to say something which, without expressing any opinion (the time for doing this not having yet come), would have the effect of reminding the public that the issues raised were more serious then might appear from the matter-of-course way in which they had, so far, been disposed of; that there was, in fact, another side of the question, and that it would be well if the question was turned a little that way. I also wished to free my personal attitude in the matter from the chance of subsequent misconception.

5. I am glad to find that what I said has had the desired effect. Not only has the somewhat hasty and over-confident tone of a portion of the press become more

• No. 1.

† See Enclosure in No. 6, page 37.

Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

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