CO882-(6-8) — Page 237

$7

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

8

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

86

2. The Delegate will be informed that the full amount provided by Ordinance No. 43, viz., £200,000, has already been advanced, and I shall be glad to learn the exact amount of the advances finally made under the Mechanical Transport Loan Ordinances, and whether these advances will be completed before the 1st of September

next.

3. I do not anticipate that the assistance given under these Ordinances can be regarded as a bounty to sugar, seeing that ample precautions have been taken to secure the Government against loss, and that the Government has simply come forward to supply the deficiency of accommodation obtainable from the local banks. As, however, the question may be raised by the Commission, I should be glad to learn whether you have anything to add which would be of use in rebutting any contention that the assistance under the Mauritius Ordinances has the effect of a bounty; or you may perhaps prefer to furnish a general explanatory statement on the whole subject, which the British Delegate can make use of should occasion arise.

I shall be glad to receive your reply with as little delay as possible, as the Brussels Sugar Commission will meet at the end of this month.

19583

(No. 148.) SIR,

No. 76.

I have, &c.,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Received May 27, 1903.) [Answered by Nos. 87 and 88.]

Government House, Mauritius, April 25, 1903. IN continuation of my despatch, No. 79, of the 6th ultimo,* and previous correspondence on the subject of the substitution of mechanical for animal transport in consequence of the mortality caused by surra, I believe that the provisions of Ordinance No. 34 of 1902 are rendering all the assistance that Government is able to contribute so far as concerns the needs, within their own areas, of the larger estates possessing mills, for the conveyance of canes to the mill, and, in so far as they are within easy reach of railway stations, for the conveyance of sugar to such stations by the aid of traction engines.

2. It was necessary, however, to consider the necessities of estates distant from railway stations, and, in particular, of areas cultivated by small proprietors who have, in many instances, been obliged to abandon the crop on their property, finding it unprofitable or impossible to carry their canes to mills.

3. I decided, therefore, to refer the general question of the extension of branch lines of railway to a Committee consisting of the regular members of the Board, strengthened by the addition of the Honourable L. Šouchon and Mr. C. Dumat, past and present Presidents of the Chamber of Agriculture, and the Honourable E. C. Fraser.

4. The Committee have had several schemes under consideration, and I have received their report on three projects :-

-

1. A line to connect the estates in the district of Black River with Port Louis

by junction with the Central line;

2. A short line to connect the Mountain Long district with Port Louis by

junction with the North line;

3. A line to provide for the transport of the canes of small proprietors in the

district of Savanne.

5. I will address you separately on the subject of each of these projects.†

I have, &c.,

CHAS. BRUCE,

• No. 66.

† See Nos. 77, 78, and 89.

Governor.

19585

(No. 150.)

No. 77.

GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Received May 27, 1903.)

[Answered by Nos. 83, 88 and 91.]

SIR,

Government House, Mauritius, April 27, 1903. WITH reference to my despatch, No. 148, of the 25th instant,* I have the honour to report on the Black River Branch Railway project.

2.

At a meeting of the Council of Government, held on the 6th June, 1893, the late Member for the District of Black River, Mr. V. Geffroy, moved "that a Commis- sion be appointed to enquire into the expediency of establishing a railway line in the district of Black River." This motion was agreed to, and a Commission, con- sisting of Members of Council, the General Manager of Railways, Mr. Connal, and several sugar planters and estate owners, was appointed a few days later.

3. On the 6th November following the Commission submitted an interim report, a copy of which I annex, in which they supported the opinion expressed by the General Manager of Railways, "that the construction of a branch line as far as 'Tamarin' would be a justifiable public work," and asked that a sum of Rs. 3,000 be voted to meet the cost of the preliminary survey.

4. The report of the Commission was laid on the table of the Council of Government, and the required amount was voted at a meeting held on the 12th December, 1893.

5. On the 19th of October, 1894, the Commission submitted 'a second report, enclosing plans and estimates prepared by the Surveyor-General and a report by the Acting General of Railways, and recommending that a line of railway be con- structed in the Black River district, starting from Richelieu Siding, between Coro- mandel and Petite Rivière railway stations, and terminating at "Tamarin." I enclose a copy of the report. The Commission based their recommendation on the grounds that:-

1st. The line will not only be self-supporting but will also benefit the parent

system;

2nd. It will permit of a large area of land now lying waste being brought

under cultivation;

3rd. It will be useful from a military point of view, as it will allow troops being transported from Curepipe to Tamarin Bay in about two hours.

6. The Surveyor-General estimated the cost of the proposed line at £38,900, and the Acting General Manager of Railways estimated the annual receipts of the line at Rs. 53,500, and the working expenses at Rs. 21,400. The Commission recom- mended that the necessary funds to meet the estimated cost be raised by means of a loan.

7.

This report was submitted to the Council of Government at a meeting held on the 20th November, 1894, and was referred, by resolution, to a Select Committee of the Council. It appears that the Committee never sat, and Governor Sir Hubert Jerningham, having apparently assumed that the failure of the Select Committee to sit indicated that the Council was not anxious to proceed with the scheme, decided not to renominate it, and the question remained in abeyance.

8. At a meeting of the Council of Government held on the 24th September, 1901, the Honourable T. Pitot, Member for Black River, asked whether Government had any reason for not giving effect to the recommendation of the Black River Railway Commission, as contained in their report of 19th October, 1894. Mr. Pitot was informed how the matter stood, and, at a subsequent meeting, he moved that

• No. 76.

Not reprinted.