246
de fer. Il était d'avis qu'ils paieraient, c'était aussi l'opinion de ceux qui les ont demandés. Pourquoi venir dire ces chemins de fer ne paieront pas et, par consé- quent, on ne peut pas compter sur les revenus qu'ils produiront pour payer l'intérêt et lamortissement d'un emprunt? Vous avez fait un emprunt pour le chemin de fer de la Rivière Noire. Pourquoi ne traiteriez-vous pas les autres chemins de fer de la même façon Il est possible que les travaux du port ne soieut pas productifs; mais alors, nous avons à considérer si nous devons porter le poids de ces dépenses sur une seule année ou les repartir sur plusieurs années. Vous ne pouvez pas, alors que nous devons avoir une année aussi mauvaise que celle qui va bientôt commencer. Vous ne pouvez pas taxer le public de telle façon que vous prendrez 50 pour cent. du montant de la production de la Colonie. Vous avez le moyen de ne pas avoir de déficit. Empruntez un million et chaque année vous n'aurez à payer que Rs. 50,000 comme intérêt-et amortissement. Vous dites aussi: on n'acceptera pas en Angleterre qu'un nouvel emprunt soit fait. Là vous dépassez peut-être le but. Vous ne savez pas si le Ministre n'accepte. a pas de sanctionner un emprunt fait dans de telles conditions, car c'est là de la bonne politique financière et le député de Moka vous a fait voir que nous ne devons pas l'équivalent d'une année de nos revenus. Dans ces circonstances, pourquoi le Ministre n'accepterait-il pas un principe qui est appli- qué dans tous les autres pays? En présence des arguments que nous avons émis, étant donné que votre opinion que les nouveaux chemins de fer ne paieront pas va à l'encontre de celle de Sir Charles Bruce et du Conseil et qu'il est de sage politique de recourir à l'emprunt pour des travaux qui doivent profiter à plusieurs générations, il me semble que la motion présentée par le député de Moka doit être votée par ce ('onseil.
The Committee divided on the motion of the Honourable H. Leclézio, C.M.G.:-
For:
1. The Hon. Léopold Antelme.
C. E. Fraser.
Against:
1. The Hon. E. Koenig, Acting Substi-
tute
General.
Procureur-
E. Aubert, C.M.G., Poor Law Commissioner.
Dr. H. Lorans, Director of the Medical and Health Department.
W. T. A. Emtage, Director
of Public Instruction.
L. E. Antelme.
The Surveyor-General.
2.
13
3.
Dr. M. F. X. Nallétamby.
4.
"
P. E. de Chazal, C.M.G.
2.
11
5.
""
G. A. Ritter, C.M.G.
31
C. E. Thomy Pitot.
3.
*
7.
3+
Dr. W. T. A. Edwards,
C.M.G.
8.
J
A. Duclos.
4.
9.
11
E. Sauzier, K.C.
10.
G. Gébert.
5.
11.
6.
12.
7.
13.
14
"
8.
11
9.
10.
11.
12.
The Acting
Secretary.
13.
vote.
L. Souchon.
H. Leclézio, C.M.G.
Dr. V. Rohan.
W. Newton, K.C.
11: For.
SN
The Protector of Immi-
grants.
The Acting Collector of
Customs.
The Auditor-General.
The Acting Receiver-
General.
The Procureur-General.
Colonial
The Officer Commanding
the Troops.
14. His Honour the Officer Administer-
ing the Government.
14: Against.
Mr. LECLEZIO: I hope that Your Honour is not going to make use of your casting
THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT: I shall certainly submit the matter to the Secretary of State, and I shall do so by telegram, but at the same time I am bound by the duty that is cast on me here to give my casting vote against the motion. I shall give my vote, and I shall state that the motion has been negatived simply by my casting vote.
247
Mr. LECLEZIO: And perhaps you will also inform the Secretary of State that the vote of the unofficial members has been unanimous all but one.
(The Council here adjourned for the usual recess.)
Enclosure 7 in No. 191.
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT,
THE brief space which has separated the close of the last session from the present occasion has been filled with anxieties. The fall in the price of sugar which took place towards the close of last year, as well as the recrudescence of surra, were indications of coming financial tension, and in the few remarks which I addressed to the Council at the close of the session I stated that the prospects were not as bright as could be wished.
The apprehensions which I then felt, but hesitated to express fully, have been realised, and the financial position of the sugar industry has become more and more strained.
It is naturally to be expected that the financial distress prevalent in the com- munity should affect the finances of the Government, and this has proved to be the case. The estimates of revenue have not been realised. The budget showed an estimated revenue of Rs. 10.251,176.51, but it is not now expected that the actual revenue encashed will exceed Rs. 9,535,284. It is satisfactory, however, to note that even this diminished estimate represents a larger sum than has hitherto been collected in Mauritius. The revenue for the last five years has been as follows:-
1898 1899
1900
1901-02 1902-03
Rs. 7,620,318.96
9,066,313.39
9,179,968.00
9,140,753.63
9,221,600.00
It is thus proved that the revenue of Mauritius is elastic, and this may be noted
as satisfactory evidence of the existence of the first condition necessary to sound financial administration.
But if the revenue has been increasing, so also has the
expenditure. I give you the figures for the last five years:-
1898
1899
1900
1901-02 1902-03
Rs. 8,131,465.06
8,407,227.10
8,568,923,00
9,043,068.36
9,575,182.13
The estimated expenditure under the current budget was Rs. 10,459,506, being the highest on record.
These increasing estimates of expenditure have not in all cases been met by revenue. In the year 1902-03 a deficit of Rs. 353,582.13 was realised, which was taken from Treasury balances. The budget for the current year showed an estimated deficit of Rs. 208,329.86, and it is expected that the deficit realised will amount to Rs. 790,245.57, which will be taken from the Treasury balance. The Treasury balance at the beginning of the financial year was Rs. 1,263,429.74. If we deduct from this the estimated deficit of the current year we find the balance is reduced to Rs. 473,184.17. But the balance of last year included a sum of Rs. 216,577.04, repre- senting outstanding railway accounts. Under the new instructions outstanding arrears of revenue cannot be included in the assets of the Colony; so it is necessary in order to get an accurate statement of the financial position to deduct the amount of the railway accounts outstanding on the 30th June, 1903, from the balance as shown. This reduces the estimated Treasury balance on the 30th June, 1904, to Rs. 256,607.23. This balance may be further reduced by sundry items not at present foreseen, but not exceeding Rs. 41,000 in all.
It is, however, right to explain that this balance does not include a balance * unpaid railway accounts, which it is estimated will be about Rs. 600,000 on the 30th June, 1904. So much of this outstanding account as is likely to be collected in the coming financial year has been included in the revenue for the year and is therefore not shown as a Treasury balance.
: דד -:-
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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