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are certain facts which are perfectly conclusive and I consider must be dealt with, with an unbiassed mind. Here are the remarks of the Hon. Mr. Antelme, who, after having stated that the elective element has totally failed in other Colonies, wrote thus:- Pour se convaincre que le mode d'élection proposé par le Comité de réforme aurait le double inconvénient de conférer des pouvoirs politiques à des hommes, pour la plupart, sans instruction tout en créant des inégalités choquantes et humiliantes, il suffit de jeter un regard sur les élements dont se compose la population coloniale. Si j'ouvre le tableau de recensement que vient de terminer M. Kyshe, je trouve que la population de l'Ile s'élevait au 3 avril dernier au chiffre de 359,874 habitants, et que "la race indienne pure entre dans ce total pour 248,993. La différence, soit 110,881 habitants est représentée, sous la dénomination de population générale, par toutes les autres races réunies, y compris les indiens d'origine mixte, les chinois, les arabes et En déduisant les femmes, on trouve que la population mâle " les anciens affranchis. " indienne donne 151,352 hommes, et la population générale 57,303. Un fait non moins instructif, c'est que la population indienne augmente malgré les épidémies, tandis que la population générale reste à peu près stationnaire. Ainsi on voit par le travail de M. Kyshe que la population mâle indienne, qui était de 48,935 hmes en 1846, s'élevait au 20 novembre 1851 à 64,282, atteignait 141,615 en avril 1861, "et enfin 151,352 en avil dernier; tandis que la population générale, comprenant les hommes de toutes les autres races, portée au chiffre de 55,663 dans le récensement de 1846, ne figure dans le dernier récensement que pour 57,303 hommes." I have some difficulty in expressing myself in French. I think the figures which I have quoted are of paramount importance. I consider the number of electors would be extremely small in proportion with the population. I will read from the same letter, the follow- ing extract:“Un cens de 2,500 piastres! Mais à l'heure actuelle nous avons peut-être plus d'Indiens, d'Arabes et de Chinois que de Créoles possédant cette somme. Fixer le cens à ce chiffre, c'est donc demander que les Créoles signent leur abdication "et se condamnent de leurs propres mains, si le gouvernement les prend au mot à “subir immédiatement, ou dans un avenir très prochain la suprématie politique d'une race qui ne tient à eux par aucun lien de religion ou de patriotisme, et qui ne possède pas encore des hommes assez instruits, sauf de rares exceptions, pour se servir avec discernement des pouvoirs qu'on leur confierait." I can but repeat that the matter is of vast importance. If you introduce the elective element in the Council you would create discord. I give my views as an outsider with no biassed idea one way or the other; but I consider that the introduction of political element in the council of government, would be contrary to the general welfare of the inhabitants; though venture to say that there are many gentlemen in the Colony who are well fitted to a seat at this table. Still I think some change is necessary, such as the one mentioned by the Secretary of State. I think that full liberty should be given to all the members, that the votes of the officials and of the non-officials should always be entirely free. I think that if the measure proposed by the Secretary of State be carried, the members I think this is what is only required to make this should be elected for five years. Board independent and that it would be beneficial to the Island of Mauritius.

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The Hon. the ACTING PROTECTOR OF IMMIGRANTS said :—

There are, Sir, two circumstances which cannot fail to have an influence on the dis- cussion to-day of this important question of constitutional reform, and on the decision that will be arrived at concerning it by the home authorities. The first is that all the members of this Council are now prepared to express their opinions on the matter after a careful study of the subject in all its bearings, which they have been able to make at leisure and away from all political excitement, in the interval which has taken place between July last, when the Secretary of State's Despatch was received, and the present time; the second fact is, that all the heads of the Civil Departments of your Govern- ment, whose privilege it is to advise your Excellency on this occasion are, without exception, officers whose local knowledge and long years of residence in this Colony will give much weight to their matured opinions whatever these may be. I, myself, though I have only recently come to this table, bring to the consideration of this grave question more than 20 years' experience in the public affairs of this Colony, Applying that experience first of all to the incidence of the matter on the Indian population con- fided to my protection, I have no hesitation in saying that I do not apprehend that the interests of that class will be endangered by the introduction of an elective element into the constitution of this Council. On the whole question in its general application I hold a strong opinion that this Council is, on account of the non-existence of members chosen by the people, unsuited to the present political requirements of the country. I

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shall therefore vote in favour of the broad proposition that a change is necessary in that respect. (Applause.)

The Hon. R. STEIN said:-

My honourable friend who has moved the resolution has certainly given us a most striking example of the progress of the Colony during the last century. He has shown that it has gradually improved in means and population. In almost everything, I hold that this is due to good government under which the intelli- gence and the means of the Colony have been allowed to work freely together for mutual benefit backed by British capital which has been freely invested in the Colony. The industry of the Colony has greatly developed its production not in quantity only but in quality, probably more than any other British sugar producing Colony. I can remember when the sugar we produced sold for $3.00, and we have now so improved our manufacture that it now sells at 87.00 and 88.00. The prospects are not at present encouraging, but the production of the Colony and the improvement in the manufacture had altered the position of all classes in it. The change in manufacture has produced a class of people that certainly 25 years ago was not in existence. You have now in the Colony a set of intelligent and clever workmen, both in machinery and sugar making, which certainly in 1839 did not exist. In any changes it is proper that the rights of that population should be considered. My honourable friend must acknowledge that the Government under which we have made such progress has been well suited to the wants of the Colony. He complains that there have been things done which might not have been done if the Colony had an elective Council. But these things, the change of language which has occurred long ago, and the laws which for 20 years have been made to suit the aspirations of the inhabitants of the Colony, can now well be accepted as a fait accompli. We cannot go back upon such changes as these. He says that an elective element is necessary. I do not think that he has shown good ground for that. He says that unofficial members of this Council cannot stop the passing of any legisla- tive measure. I hold that the opinions freely expressed by unofficial members have modified almost every legislative enactment submitted to the Council. I believe that the introduction of the elective element into this Council is not now actually necessary. I believe that the concession which the Secretary of State has declared he is willing to make is all that is required. The Secretary of State says plainly that in Ceylon, owing to the difference of population, it was impossible to find a good elective body, and that the same applies to Mauritius. I believe it does so, and I am satisfied that with the additional members proposed by the Secretary of State, the unofficials can very well so influence the Government that for all useful purposes the nominees will be as effective as if we had an elective element in it. I agree that we want some change, but with the means proposed by the Secretary of State we can do very well without independent elected members.

The Hon. J. FRASER said :—

The resolution moved by the honourable member appears to me of far too vague and undecided a character to command my support. What are we to under- It must, I stand by the word people, and the expression of an elective element? think, have struck every member of this Board that such terms as the inhabitants of the Colony, the majority of the inhabitants, the people, etc., etc., have been freely used by both the mover and seconder of the resolution, but I suppose that they mean what the Hon. the Acting Procureur-General designates more correctly as an influential section of the community. The mover of the resolution denies that the inhabitants of the Colony are contented, and he asserts that the policy pursued of late by the ruling powers was very different from the mild and soothing rule which had marked the administration of our first Governors, and he added that many measures would not have been passed by this Council if it had been composed of more and freer members. But I may remind him that one of the most important of these, the change of language, was not a work of the Legislative Council. If it had been, it might have been said by the English Government that it was done by Mauritians themselves, but it was imposed by a Royal Order of the Queen in Council, and was never even sub- As to the mitted for the consideration of the Council of Government in Mauritius.

mild and soothing rule of our earlier Governors which the honourable gentleman tells us had almost reconciled the inhabitants to their fate, let me ask him to compare the number of Mauritians who at present hold high and lucrative posts in the Civil Service, with those who were similarly placed in the mild and soothing Governments of which he speaks. How many heads of departments are Mauritians at present compared with D 2