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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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No. 65

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

Received July 26, 1908.)

(Ackuncledyed August 7, 1908.

No. 145.]

DS.

(No. 184.)

MY LORD.

Government House, Port Louis, 25 June, SINCE. I had the honour of addressing your Lordship in my despatch, No. 177, of the 12th current,* I have received from Mr. C. Dumat, the Member for Savanne, a resolution signed by a number of electors and residents in the district in opposi tion to that which was adopted at the public meeting held at Souillac, "insisting on the concession of a loan, after the Commission of Enquiry suggested by Lord Elgin.

2. Mr. Dumat has asked that the views expressed in the first-mentioned document may be communicated to you without delay, and, as time will not permit of a proper analysis and copy of the signatures thereto being made, I transmit herewith a copy of the resolution only, which has been signed by 539 persons, of whom, as I am at present advised about 144 appear on the most recently revised register of electors in the district.

I have. &c.,

Enclosure in No. 68

CAVENDISH BOYLE.

Resolution signed by 539 Electors and Residents in the District of Savanne.

Nous soussignés ayant des intérêts dans le district de la Savanne protestons contre l'attitude des organisateurs du meeting tenu à Souillac le 7 Juin, protestons contre leur idée de demander une Commission d'enquête, déclarons approuver le vote du représentant du district dans cette question, et l'assurons de notre entière

confiance

27867

(No 193.)

MY LORD,

No. 69.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 31 July, 1908.)

[Answered by No. 75.]

Government House, Port Louis, 26 June, 1908. In continuation of my despatch, No. 147 of the 11th of May, I have the honour to transmit copies of the Estimatest of revenue and expenditure for the year 1908-9, which were passed in the Council of Government on the 23rd current, together with a statementf of the assets and liabilities of the Colony at the close of the last com- pleted year of account, 30th June, 1907 (this has already been forwarded in my despatch No. 382 of 23rd October last§), and statements showing the probable revenue and expenditure to the end of the current financial year and the probable deficit on the 1st of July next, the estimated position of the Colony on that date, and the outstanding amount of the Colony's funded debt or loans with the amounts of the The statements of actual accumulated sinking funds to the 31st of March last. revenue and expenditure to the 31st of March last, which will be found reproduced in Enclosures 3 and 4 herewith, have been transmitted under cover of my despatch No. 189 of the 25th current.||

2. My financial officers now estimate that the current year will close with a deficit of Rs. 972.270; the shortage in revenue, as compared with the original estimates, being shown at Rs. 1,322,587, and the saving on the approved estimates of expenditure at Rs. 413,359, or a difference of Rs. 09,228; and by adding to this latter sum the difference between Rs. 70,000 appropriated (but not spent) from the Reserve Fund and the originally estimated surpins of Rs. 8.958, namely, Rs. 63,042, the figure of Rs. 972,270 is arrived at.

* No. 67. † 21726: not printed. Not reprinted. 41475; not printed. | 27363: not printed.

75

3 Deducting this deficit from the actual surplus balance of the year 1906-7. namely, Rs. 1,327,304, the financial year commencing on the 1st of July will, it is estimated, open with a surplus of Rs. 355.034 The estimated revenue for that period is Rs. 9,832,870, and the estimated expenditure is Rs. 9,762,974, giving Rs. 69,896 as the estimated excess of revenue over expenditure. Adding this sum to surplus carried forward. Rs. 424,930 result, and deducting the appropriation of Rs. 103,500 for the harbour light (namely, Rs. 70,000 unexpended and Rs. 33,500 as since sanctioned) the sum of Rs. 321,430 remains as the estimated surplus balance on the 30th of June, 1909.

4. The estimates of revenue for 1908-9, as compared with the probable receipts for the year now about to close, show an increase of Rs. 1,056,142, and at first sight this may appear to be excessive. But there is now reason to believe that the sugar erop will be not less than 190,000 tons, and on that basis and on the experience of past years, there is reason to hope that the abnormal conditions so seriously affecting the financial position of the community, and reacting on the revenue during the past twelve months, will not be repeated, and that the anticipated revenue will be

realised.

5. The conditions above mentioned, and the results accruing therefrom, render any detailed comparison between the Estimates under submission and those for 1907-8 both difficult and unreliable, It seems, therefore, preferable to refer to the figures of past years. The import duties are estimated to yield Rs. 2,893,000, against Rs. 2,951,446 in 1906-7 and Rs. 2,906,570 in 1905-6. Export duties, on the basis of 190.000 tons of sugar to be made, are given at Rs. 572,000, against Rs. 643,584 realised in 1906-7 and Rs. 580,111 in 1905-6. In Item II. there is the additional revenue to be derived from the lease of the dredger "Cerne," Rs. 24,750, to justify the slight increase shown. In Item III., licences, excise, &c., the total is given at Rs. 2,333,250, against Rs. 2,386,480 collected in 1906-7 and Rs. 2,481,397 in the previous year. Of the several details the only sub-item which may be doubtfully high is No. 11, rum; but the figure given, Rs. 1.170,000, is by no means excessive when compared with the revenue collected in the previous periods, namely, Rs. 1,242,444 and Rs. 1,342,224 respectively, and I am hopeful that, with the exercise of due vigilance in protection of the revenue in this connexion, the anticipated result may be realised. In Item IV. the figures are normal, with the exception of those for revenue anticipated from the exploitation of the forests of Kanaka and La Pipe, which have been reduced in consequence of the natural decrease in the output of timber therefrom. The figures for postal and telegraph revenue, Item V., are below the probable receipts of the current year, and may prove to have been underestimated. With regard to the earnings of the railways, Item VI., the estimate is for Rs. 2,300,000, and, with a crop of 190,000 tons of sugar to be carried, and in comparison with Rs. 2,500,409 and Rs. 2,437,511 earned in 1906-7 and 1905-6 respectively, it may be hoped that there has been no overestimation in this respect.

6. The remaining items of estimated revenue call for no special observation. 7. Turning to the expenditure side of the Estimates, it will be seen that the total is within Rs. 14,000 of the probable expenditure for the current year, the latter being given at Rs. 9,748,998, whilst provision is taken for a total of Rs. 9,702,974 for the coming financial year, exclusive of Rs. 103,500 for the new harbour light. As compared with the accounts of the two preceding years, there is a decrease of Rs. 411,534 on the actual expenditure of 1906-7 and of Rs. 152,894 on that incurred in 1905-6.

8. In the preparation of the Estimates, and in their consideration in the Council of Government, endeavour has been made to keep each item of expenditure within the lowest limits, and it has been my anxious care to effect every economy and reduction possible, consistently with the requirements of the Colony.

9. I do not, however, attempt to conceal the anxiety caused by the present financial position, or to minimise the necessity for a continued exercise of rigid economy in all branches of the service.

10. The question of finding adequate provision for placing the railways in a satisfactory condition as to permanent way and rolling stock, for conducting an effective campaign against the ravages of malaria, and for sufficient and proper college accommodation, has perforce to remain in abeyance, and it has not been possible to consider such question in connexion with the Estimates under review.

11. The reports of Sir David Hunter and of the Consulting Engineers (a supply of copies of the latter have but recently reached me) are receiving careful attention

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