CO882-(8-9) — Page 303

116

(2) That the proposed reductions to be confined to the result grants, the scale of which shall be reduced for all schools, primary and secondary in the same proportion.

(3) That this reduced scale be imposed for a period of one year only, and be

not extended unless the necessity for so doing continue.

(4) That the conditions of gaining result grants, already exceptionally severe,

be not made more stringent than at present

As to the suppression of existing schools, I beg to invite your Honour's attention to Article 17 of the Education Ordinance of 1899, which recognises the principle that for a school to be considered sufficient for a given locality, it should not only be sufficiently large for the wants of the locality, but also" in other respects suitable to the wishes of the inhabitants whose children are of schoul age."

It is obvious that in localities where the large majority of the inhabitants are Roman Catholic, the suppression of an existing Roman Catholic School cannot but e contrary to their wishes, seeing their conscientious objections to sending their children to be formed by teachers not of their own religion

Hoping that Your Honour and the Council will take these suggestions into Consideration,

517

No. 91.

I have, &c.,

PA O'NEILL,

Bishop of Port Louis.

117

present quoted at Rs. 11--an unusually high price), I do not expect that the revenue of the Colony will be favourably influenced before the middle of next calendar

year.

In Port Louis

I have, &c.,

GRAHAM BOWER,

Officer Administering the Government.

Enclosure in No. 92.

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF REVENUE COLLECTED.

In country districts

Crown Agents Rodrigues Seychelles

Below November, 1907

Above 1/12th Estimates, 1908-09

November, 1907. Rs. 789,392.28 39,537.87

Rs. 828,930.15

Rs. 42,301.00 (a) 1,552.63 (a) 20.67 (a)

Rs. 872,804.45

November, 1908. Rs. 759,622.57 39,857.30

Rs. 799,479.87

Rs. 42,301.00 1,552.63

20.67

Rs. 843,354.17

Rs. 29,450.28

Rs. 23,948.34

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

། ། ་།

19

Reference :-

C.O. 882

9ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON:

BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 4.40 p.m., 5 January. 1909.)

TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 94.]

Debates on financial position concluded. After allowing for economies and increased revenue due to new Customs Tariff and prospective taxation of motor cars and bicycles, estimated to produce in all Rs. 105,000 for financial year 1908-9, probable deficit for current year estimated at 7 lakhs approximately by Financial Adviser. Very desirable provide for interest and Sinking Fund Railway Loan, which have become urgently necessary as Government will incur heavy responsi- bility by further neglecting railway. There is strong feeling against further taxa- tion at the present time, although I believe that any proposals made by Royal Commission would secure acquiescence. I therefore request permission to (?) pro- pose to Council of Government to request appointment of Royal Commission to enquire into the Government, the finances of, and the taxable resources of, the Colony with a view to advising as to the measures that may be desirable to ameliorate present position, and place finances and administration on a more satisfactory footing. Council of Government adjourned till 19 January.—BOWER.

1002

No. 92.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 9 January, 1909.)

(Secret.)

MY LORD,

Government House, Le Réduit, 5 December, 1908.

IN continuation of my secret despatch of the 19th November, 1908,* I have the honour to enclose, for your information, a statement of the revenue collected during the month of November.

2. The months of October, November, and December are the months during which the bulk of the sugar is exported from Mauritius, and they usually show favourable revenue returns. But although the price of sugar is rising (it is at

• No. 90.

(a) Estimated.

Treasury, Mauritius,

3rd December, 1908.

O. SANDAPA,

1097

Acting Head Accountant.

No. 93.

G. A. BANBURY,

Receiver-General.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 11 January, 1909.) (Confidential.)

MY LORD,

Government House, Le Réduit, 10th December, 1908. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatch of the 30th October,* instructing me to make a confidential communication to the Directors of the Commercial Bank respecting your views as to the question of past and future loans to the Bank.

2. On Friday, the 4th instant, I read your despatch to Messrs. Leclézio and Ritter, Directors of the Bank, and on Tuesday, the 8th instant, I read it to Mr. Huteau, the newly-elected Chairman of the Bank. Messrs. Ritter and Leclézio made no comment on the despatoh itself, though Mr. Leclézio informed me that his speech to which you had called attention was intended to give an explanation which would not impair the credit of the Bank.

3. Mr. Huteau, however, explained to me at my interview with him, that whilst he regretted the tone of the despatch, he was glad to receive the intimation conveyed, as he considered that the Bank should so manage its affairs that there He stated that, would be no necessity to make similar applications in the future.

in his opinion, too large a proportion of the assets of the Bank were immobilised and unavailable at short notice, that as he was now Chairman he proposed to alter this policy, and that your despatch would strengthen his hands.

4. I think, therefore, that the whole incident may now be regarded as closed- the more so as I have every confidence that Mr. Huteau, who stands well as a man

• No. 88.