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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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C.O. 882

4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Sir, there is in my opinion another consideration in favour of such a system, and it is one which I commend to the attention of my honourable friends who interest themselves in this movement: instead of taking a leap in the dark as we are invited to do, we would be proceeding prudently and safely in the path of reform.

The Hon. the ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY said :-

I confess, Sir, that I do not agree in the views of my honourable and learned friend the Acting Procureur-General; still less do I share his apprehensions. My honourable friend assumes that the adoption of the franchise proposed by the gentlemen whose petition to Her Majesty is referred to by the Secretary of State must necessarily This is manifestly a wrong follow the adoption of the resolution now before us. assumption; the terms of the resolution in no way commit us to the elective system suggested by the petitioners, nor indeed to any other except inasmuch as direct elections are proposed. Therefore, all the argumentation based upon that assumption com- pletely falls to the ground. The next supposition put forward by my honourable friend --that on which he grounds his fears as to the proper working of the form of Govern- ment advocated in the resolution-is, that a coalition might take place between the unofficial nominees of the Crown and the elected members, and that, as the official members would then be left in a minority, the machinery of Government would practically be brought to a dead lock. It is difficult to realise the circumstances in which the nominees and elected members might be induced to coalesce against Govern- ment. To induce them to do so there must be some very grave cause which I declare As stated in the Despatch of the Duke of Buckingham from I cannot now forsee.

which my honourable friend the mover of the first resolution (the honourable Mr. L. Raoul) has quoted several passages, nominee members of Colonial Legislatures are selected in the expectation that they will co-operate with the Crown in its general policy and not oppose the Crown on any important question without strong and sub- stantial reasons. Admitting, however, the possibility of their disregarding that expectation, and resolving on opposing the Government, I ask whether no remedy can Can no proviso to meet such a case be devised to defeat their object in such a case?

be attached to the resolution? Why should it not be decided at once that the Governor shall be vested with the power of dissolving the Council in such cases? Such a power would not be used otherwise than when indispensable,—that is, when a systematic opposition to the Crown would paralyse the Government. But my honour- able friend reverts to the argument that all the various interests in the Colony would not be sufficiently represented. This would be a good argument to use against the elective principle itself; surely not against its being extensively applied. My honour- able friend has voted in favour of elections, and yet he now proposes that the elective element be restricted--that the number of elective members be reduced from seven to five. It may be owing to a fault of my own vision, but I confess I am quite unable to see the logic of his reasoning. If my honourable friend fears that the various classes of the inhabitants of the Colony will not be sufficiently represented in the proposed Constitution, he ought to vote against elections altogether and not for restricting the elective element. A fear is expressed that the Indian labourers in the island will not be sufficiently protected if the system proposed by the resolution be adopted. Does this mean that they must have one of their own class-an Indian coolie-at this Board? Have the Hottentots a man of their own class in the Cape Parliament? Have the Kafirs a Kafir in the Natal Council? The population of Natal consists of 25,000 Europeans, 18,000 coolies and 362,000 aborigines. The aborigines form an over- whelming majority, yet they have not one of their own class representing them in the Legislature. Do coolies sit in the Councils of those West Indian Colonies which have a majority of coolies in their population and elected members in their Legislatures? Or does my honourable friend mean that each individual of the coolie class should This would simply be universal suffrage, which have the right of electing?

The Indian labourers, nobody in his senses would dream of introducing here.

as such, would be neither electors nor elegible as representatives, any more than men of their class and status have either of these privileges in any other British Should any Indian rise in education Colony, or in the United Kingdom itself.

and wealth, so as to have a sufficient stake in the welfare of the Colony, and at the same time be able to share in the business of law-making, there will certainly not be any reasonable objection to his being admitted to the Legislature, if he commands the confidence of a sufficient constituency. Much as I regret to differ from the opinions of my honourable and learned friend in this matter, and from the views of those members who concur in his reasoning, I cannot help declaring that I do

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not agree with them. by my honourable friend opposite (Sir V. Naz), provided I be allowed to add a few words to it, as a safeguard against all possible danger. I propose the insertion of a proviso giving to the Governor the power to which I have alluded; so that the evil apprehended by my honourable friend the Acting Procureur-General might be com- pletely counteracted and warded off. After its insertion, I hope that he will deem it right to waive his objections to the resolution we are now considering. I move that the following words be added to the last paragraph of the resolution:-" Provided that the Governor be vested with the power of dissolving the Council, whenever, in his opinion, the exercise of such a power shall be necessary.'

I shall vote for the resolution moved and so admirably explained

LL

The Hon. J. FRASER said :-I have no intention at this late hour of going over the ground travelled by the mover of the resolution, and shall confine my observations to a point somewhat personal to myself. The honourable member has contrasted the petition of over 3,000 persons with a letter written by the senior member of this Council and signed by about 100 persons, myself among the number, and which he incorrectly but persistently termed a counter petition; but he has passed over, I may say almost contemptuously, the real counter petition signed by over 7,000 Indians. (The honourable knight says this has been disposed of by Lord Derby; has he done so more in one case than in the other?) True, his Lordship expresses the opinion that few of them know much of the political questions involved, but in this he merely reflects the impressions of the late Lieutenant Governor, which were, I think, misleading. What I fear is that the fact of the counter petition being left without the slightest notice or consideration may strike others as it has done me as significant of the amount of attention the wants and interests of the majority of the inhabitants are likely to receive at the hands of the parties he represents. It is an incident which I regret, because I think the petition of the Indians is entitled to consideration as well as that of the 3,000.

The Hon. SIR V. NAZ said :—

Sir, allow me to make one remark on what my honourable friend the acting Procureur-General has said as to the qualifications to be required from electors. My resolution does not allude to qualifications. I was careful not to ask the Council to commit itself to any qualification for the present. If the home Government sanctions the principle of an addition of elected members to this Board, the qualifications will ultimately have to be fixed, as I have already said, by the Secretary of State and this Council in their wisdom. Of course a high qualification will have to be fixed in the first instance, as otherwise, as was said by my friend; a leap would be made in the dark. Too low qualifications can hardly afterwards be raised; but, after the experience of one or two elections, too high qualifications may easily be readjusted from time to time so as to include all classes entitled to and fit for the franchise.

The Hon. the ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY then obtained that the following words be added at the end of the motion :-" Provided that the right of dissolving the Council be vested in the Governor." The motion as amended was put to the vote and carried

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by a majority of eight against seven as follows:-For: The honourables J. A. Ferguson, A. P. Ambrose, L. Raoul, H. Adam, Sir V. Naz, the Surveyor General, the Acting Protector of Immigrants, and the Acting Colonial Secretary. Against: The honour- ables J. Fraser, R. Stein, the Collector of Customs, the Acting Auditor-General, the Acting Receiver General, the Acting Procureur General and the Officer Commanding the Troops.

His Excellency the GOVERNOR then said :—

Gentlemen, I have now complied with Lord-Derby's instructions and I have submitted to the Council of Government the most important question in a constitutional point of view that has ever been laid before this Council. I shall convey to Lord Derby, the momentous decision at which this Council of Government has arrived, and I shall also convey to him the arguments to which I have listened to-day, for and against that decision. And whilst regretting with all my honourable friends who are present, the absence of the senior unofficial member of this Council, I am glad to find that, although his voice was not heard to-day, his quoted words were listened to with that respect and attention which all that falls from him so well deserves. My gallant friend on my right (the honourable the Officer Commanding the Troops) strengthened his argument at great length from what has been written by my honourable friend the senior unofficial member. I may say that to-day I have had a full expression of the opinion of the Council of Government, and it will be my duty in performing the second portion of F 3

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C.O. 882

4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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the task that Lord Derby has laid upon me, to convey my own opinion upon this question. I believe that this opinion will be unimportant as compared with the far better opinions which you have placed to-day on the record. But whatever the result may be, I think the Council and the Colony have reason to be proud of the debate on the question. I may add that it is not usual for this Council to refer to those who are not seated at the Board's table, but may venture to add this, that I should be glad to convey to Lord Derby the impression made upon me as Governor by the body of gentlemen whom I have seen attending here to-day. (Applause.)

The meeting then adjourned.

THE AUDIENCE at the COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT.

His Excellency the Governor, in concluding his speech at the meeting of the Council of Government, held on the 21st instant, having referred to the gentlemen who were then present, we think the following list of those whom we noticed among many others will be received with pleasure :—

At the two tables of the Reporters.

Le Messrs. C. Bernard, secretary to the Chamber of Agriculture and sub-editor to " Cernéen"; G. Bouic, editor of "Le Nouvean Mauricien "; reporter of "Le Journal de Maurice" and of "The Merchants and Planters Gazette," P. D'Agnel, of "The Merchants and Planters Gazette"; Elmour Hitié, reporter of "Le Progrès Colonial "; Le Cerneen"; L. Noel, Hitiè, junior, of "Le Progrès Colonial "; Maigrot, junior, of

editor of "L'Argus" and reporter of "Le Cerneen"; J. G. N. Philistin, reporter of L'Argus"; 0. G. N. Philistin, reporter of The Mercantile Record and Commercial

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Gazette"; H. Sénèque, reporter of "La Sentinelle de Maurice."

General Public.

Messrs. L. Alcain, merchant's clerk; Albert Antelme, merchant; L. Antelme, junior, merchant; W. L. Argent, clerk, Receiver General Department; Atisse, bookbinder; C. Baissac, professor, Royal College; L. E. Baissac, notary; G. Barrow, secretary to the Mauritius Telephone Exchange; C. Baschet, pharmacist; E. Bazire, barrister-at- law; Belcourt Trime, sworn broker; A. de Boucherville, inspector of schools; J. Bouchet, attorney-at-law; L. Boulay, trader; V. Boullé, attorney-at-law; F. Breard, sugar planter; A. Brémon, merchant; A. Brun, sworn broker; H. Capeyron, municipal councillor and merchant; P. Cartier, clerk, Audit Department; Charon, attorney's clerk; P. L. Chastellier, barrister-at-law; Abel Chevreau, merchant; Alfred Chevreau, merchant's clerk; O. Chevreau, proprietor; G. de Coriolis, sworn land surveyor; J. Coup, municipal councillor and ironmonger; V. Dabbadie, proprietor; A. Daruty, Becretary to the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences; V. Delafaye, barrister-at-law; E. Desbleds, proprietor; H. E. Desmarais, district judge, Seychelles; E. Desmarais, district clerk; A. Desveaux, attorney-at-law; E. de Drusina, sworn broker; F. Ducray, secretary to "L'Argus"; L. Ducray, clerk, Medical Department; E. Duvivier, attorney- at-law; Dr. W. A. Edwards, municipal councillor and member of the General Board of Health; E. Faduilhe, sworn broker; H. J. de Fondaumière, sworn broker; Friec, clerk; C. Galdemar, veterinary surgeon; H. Galea, barrister-at-law; A. Gallanty, trader; E. Ganachaud, attorney-at-law; G. Giraudeau, attorney-at-law; J. Halais, attorney-at-law; E. Hart, notary's clerk; G. V. Hart, proprietor; H. Hewetson, barrister-at-law; L. A. Hugues, barrister-at-law; L. James, collecting clerk; G. K. Vern, deputy mayor and barrister-at-law; L. Lafitte, attorney-at-law; J. Langlois, president of the Chamber of Agriculture; P. L. Lastelle, attorney-at-law; E. Laurent, attorney-at-law; E. Leblanc, municipal councillor and attorney-at-law; H. Leclézio, attorney-at-law; A. Le Juge de Segrais, acting sanitary warden; Lemière, junior, notary's clerk; Le Vieux, notary's clerk; Lugeol, merchant's clerk; Mallet, merchant; J. Mercier, municipal councillor and attorney-at-law; T. Merven, proprietor; C. Nairac, merchant; W. Newton, barrister-at-law; M. Noel, sugar planter; Oziouls, trader; G. Papon, manager of "Le Glaneur"; Pastourel, timber merchant; G. Pelte, notary's clerk; S. Pelte, sugar planter; Pierre, junior, sworn broker's clerk; J. Pigneguy, barrister-at-law; Ä. Piston, sworn broker; C. Pitrel, clerk, Registration Department; A. Poupard, sworn appraiser; T. Raoul, notary's clerk; H. de Rauville, clerk, Police Department; G. A. Ritter, attorney-at-law; F. Robert, attorney-at-law; Robert, junior, attorney's clerk; G. Robinson, sworn broker; L. de Rochecouste, sugar

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planter; J. Rondeaux, sworn broker; L. Rouillard, barrister-at-law; Alfred Sauzier, sworn broker; L. E. Schmidt, storekeeper general; E. de Senneville, sugar planter; Series, house and land agent; F. Serret, barrister's clerk; D. Sicard, proprietor; A. Standley, professor, Royal College; L. de St. Pern, attorney-at-law; C. Tyack, sworn broker; H. Thatcher, attorney-at-law; G. Tourrette, notary's clerk; N. Tourrette, sugar planter; E. Vanmeerbeck, editor of "Le Progressiste."

No. 11.

GOVERNOR SIR J. POPE HENNESSY, K.C.M.G., to the RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF DERBY. (Received February 22, 1884.) (No. 41.) MY LORD,

Ar the request of the Honourable C. Antelme, C.M.G., I have the honour to transmit a letter he has addressed to your Lordship enclosing a copy of the "Cerneen newspaper of the 22nd instant, in which he gives his reasons for not concurring in the opinion recorded by the Council of Government in favour of the partial introduction of the elective system into the Constitution of Mauritius.

Government House, Mauritius, January 27, 1884.

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2. There are only two points in this letter on which I venture to comment. Mr. Antelme thinks it strange that the Honourable Mr. Greene, the Acting Protector of Immigrants, should, as a member of the Council of Government, have presumed to express an opinion different from that to be found in the Despatch of the Secretary of State. There would not, however, have been much advantage in my consulting the Council, if the official members had been prevented from freely expressing their opinions; and, indeed, I believe your Lordship would be the last person to approve of such a partial and fictitious consultation.

3. The Acting Protector of Immigrants is an able and honest gentleman who has had twenty-one years close experience of Mauritius, and I have no doubt Her Majesty's Government will not consider his opinion unworthy of attention.

4. Unhappily cases have, of late years, occurred in a Colony or rather an ex Colony, not far from this, in which Her Majesty's Government have been misled as to the opinions and feelings of the community. One means by which I shall endeavour to save your Lordship and myself from any mistakes of the kind is by ensuring to every gentleman on the Council of Government, whether he is a salaried officer or not, full freedom of speech on every subject on which I consult them.

5. Mr. Antelme refers to the abolition of the elective system in Grenada. As I was the Governor-in-Chief of the Windward Islands who, in the Queen's name, dissolved the last House of Commons of Grenada and formally completed the work accomplished by the ability of Lieutenant-Governor Graham, I may be permitted to repeat what I then recorded, that the elective system worked well until, owing to the decline in the numbers of the upper and middle classes, there no longer remained a sufficient number of persons willing and capable to undertake the duties of elective members. In Mauritius it is precisely the reverse. Here, an upper and middle class exists and is growing larger year by year; & class whose assistance in working the local administra- tion, by means of a partially elected Legislature, would conduce to good government.

6. Precisely similar observations apply to Mr. Antelme's reference to Tobago, the condition of which I was also officially acquainted with.

7. Mr. Antelme also refers to the Bahamas. That is likewise a Colony I have had the honour to serve in. The population is small compared to Mauritius, but the propor- tion of the European race compared to the others is even smaller than in Mauritius. Nevertheless they have an elective chamber, and in one of my Despatches that Lord Kimberley laid before Parliament in 1874 I reported that the elective system worked admirably; that it was of advantage to the Colony and a great assistance to the Governor.

8. I am bound to say that the only argument to be drawn from the case of the Bahamas is entirely favourable to the resolutions carried by Mr. Raoul and Sir Virgile Naz in the Council of Government.

The Right Hon. the Earl of Derby,

&o.

&c.

&c.

F 4

(Signed)

I am, &c.

J. POPE HENNESSY.