PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTIC.O. 882
8PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
The Honourable
158
Annexure II.
REVISED ESTIMATE by the SURVEYOR-GENERAL.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY,
WITH reference to your request, communicated to me verbally by the Clerk of Councils, I have conferred with the General Manager of Railways about the additional rolling stock he would require for the projected new railways recom- mended by me in my memorandum of the 18th December last, addressed to the Light Railway Board. I annex Mr. Pitot's report. The provision to be made in the pro- posed new loan for the railways in question should, therefore, be as follows:-
Line No. 1.
Poudre D'or-The Vale.
Construction "works Rolling stock
Rs. 510,000 254,000
Total
Rs. 764,000
£51,000
or, at 50 per cent, exchange, say
Construction works
Rolling stock
Total
Line No. 2. Mapou-Australia.
Rs. 435,000 115,000
Rs. 550,000
37,000
or, at 50 per cent. exchange...
Line No. 3.
Mare D'Albert-Cent Gaulettes.
Construction works Rolling stock
Rs. 270,000 75,000
Total
Rs. 345,000
or, at 50 per cent. exchange
January 11, 1904.
The Honourable
23,000
£111,000
G. DE CORIOLIS,
Surveyor-General.
REPORT BY THE GENERAL MANAGER OF RAILWAYS.
The SURVEYOR-GENERAL,
FOR the Mapou-Australia branch line, I estimate that a provision of Rs. 115,000 should be made for rolling stock.
L. EMILE PITOT,
General Manager.
The provision of Rs. 60,000 for the Mare d'Albert-Cent Gaulettes should be increased to Rs. 75,000.
E. P.
•
(No. 47 of 1903.)
159
MINUTES of the Proceedings of the Light Railway Board at a meeting held on the 16th December, 1903.
PRESENT:
The Hon. G. A. Ritter, C.M.G., chairman.
The Hon. J. A. Duclos.
The Hon. L. Souchon.
The Hon. the Surveyor-General.
P. E. Carcenac, Esquire.
Léon Maurel, Esquire.
J. W. Hollway, Esquire.
C. Dumat, Esquire.
M. Montocchio, Esquire.
The Engineer and Ĝeneral Manager of Railways.
ABSENT:
Ernest Antelme, Esquire.
The minutes of the proceedings of the last meeting are read and confirmed. Read letter from the Assistant Colonial Secretary informing the Board that His Honour the Officer Administering the Government has sanctioned the expenditure of a sum of Rs. 1,000 for the survey of the proposed Pamplemousses-St. Julien line of light railway, on condition that the grant of that sum would not pledge the Government to the construction of the line.
The Chairman states that the object of the meeting is to consider the question of the creation of the line Pamplemousses-Grand-Gaube-Poudre d'Or. Before, how- ever, arriving at a resolution thereon, he would be glad to obtain further information from the Surveyor-General.
The Chairman accordingly asks the Surveyor-General how many men he would require for the construction of the line.
The Surveyor-General replies that, if the first idea of constructing the first portion of the line between Poudre d'Or and Le Vale so as to finish in August were given effect to, he would require 1,500 workmen and labourers.
The Surveyor-General does not believe it is necessary to give effect to the original idea as it would be impossible to get the engines and rails before 10 months from the date of the order by cable.
If the construction of the line Pamplemousses, or Mapou-St. Julien, were taken in hand at the same time, the Surveyor-General says that he would get the required labourers from the lower part of Pamplemousses, from Rivière du Rempart and Flacq for the Poudre d'Or the Vale line, and from Port Louis, Montagne Longue, the upper part of Pamplemousses and Flacq for the Pamplemousses or Mapou-St. Julien line; 3,000 workmen and labourers for both lines would be sufficient.
For the construction of each line the Surveyor-General would require 500 Indians of Grande Bande, i.e., 1,000 men in all, who could dig earth and do hard work-men accustomed to make fossés on sugar estates. These men give an effective work, and are paid 75 cents. a day.
The remainder, 1,000 for each line, would be made up of workmen, of creole labourers, of women and of boys. They furnish a lighter work, except the workmen and the creole labourers. From April next the Black River line will employ 2,000 workmen and labourers, about 1,000 of whom will come from Plaines Wilhems and 1,000 from Port Louis.
A very large number of labourers can be obtained from Port Louis provided special trains are put at their disposal. The employment of such a large number of labourers will naturally depend on the reception of the rails. The Surveyor- General adds that the lot of labourers he alludes to is made up of former convicts, unemployed coachmen, and of general servants, and that he would not require more than 300 men of Grande Bande, who could give an efficient work. The 1,700 remain- ing are not the kind of men who work on sugar estates. adds that people have no idea of the number of men who cannot find employment The Surveyor-General in all the Districts of the Island during the entrecoupe.
On a question from Mr. Maurel, the Surveyor-General replies that a man of Grande Bande, i.e., one who can give an effective work is one who can dig about 140 or 130 fossés per diem on sugar estates.
The Chairman asks what is the task given to each labourer.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.