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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TPLLC.O. 882

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9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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letter of the 10th instant* (6350/1909), relative to the proposed appointment of a Royal Commission to enquire into the condition of Mauritius.

I am to state in reply that in view of the arguments adduced by the Earl of Crewe, their Lordships cannot refuse to concur in principle in the charge of the cost of the enquiry upon Imperial funds, on the understanding that they are not in any way committed to details and that every effort will be made to, keep expenditure as low as possible.

?

9659

No. 112

I am, &c..

G. H. MURRAY.

THE AUTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. Received 19 March, 1909.)

(Secret.)

MY LORD,

Government House, Le Réduit, 9th February, 1909. THE recent unanimous vote of the Council of Government in favour of a Royal Commission of Enquiry into the Administration, the finances, and the resources of the Colony raises issues of great importance.

2 The vote has been primarily provoked by the condition of the finances, and there can be no doubt that the position of the finances gives cause for anxiety. In the year 1980 the exports of sugar were valued at Rs. 30,492,138, the revenue The rate of amounted to Rs 7,-21,088, and the expenditure to Rs. 7,573,960. revenue per head of population was Rs. 21.72, and the rate of expenditure Rs. 21.04. In the year 1907 the total value of sugar exported was Rs. 24,020,814. revenue was Rs 4,722,727 The expenditure was Rs. 9,853,009, and the net deficit was Rs. 1,130,282. The revenue per head of population was Rs. 23.5, and the expenditure per head of population was Rs 26.2.

The

3. There were also urgent demands in connection with the re-equipment of the railways, the prevention of malaria, &c., which could not be met through lack of funds.

4. It will be evident from the foregoing figures that whilst the annual income of the population derived from exports has, since 1880, decreased by Rs. 6,471,324, the expenditure of the Government has increased by Rs. 2,279,049.

5. The inevitable result has been increasing difficulties for the Government. Economies Taxation has been increased, and now weighs heavily on all classes.

have been effected by the neglect of necessary public works, and the position of the Colony may be said to resemble that of an encumbered estate on which the oharges are so heavy that no money can be spared for repairs or improvements. In my opinion the financial position calls for enquiry and adjustment.

6.

But the financial position is the least of the changes that have taken place, though it may be the consequence of some of them. The reform movement and the new Constitution introduced on the initiative of the late Sir John Pope-Hennessy have produced important economic, political, and social changes.

7. It is not my purpose to criticise the action of Sir John Pope-Hennessy. I am informed by men of sound judgment and of fair minds that the old system of A Governor a Nominee Council tended to produce a camarilla round the Governor. arriving in Mauritius was necessarily ignorant of the island and of the people. The official advice at his disposal was, no doubt, perfectly honest, but the horizon of a Crown Colony Official is necessarily limited, and it is not surprising that successive Governors were guided by the wishes and opinions of influential men who were probably more in touch with the general life of the community than officials could claim to be.

8. I must not be understood as in any way criticising the action of past Governors in this respect. The course taken by them was natural, and probably the best that could have been taken under the circumstances.

9. But the inevitable result was the Reform movement. The lower class Creoles of mixed blood receive a good education provided at the expense of the State, and they felt that they were being governed by an oligarchy with whom

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they were not in sympathy, and to whom they were even antagonistic. The social separation between the pure white and the man of mixed blood is well known, and I need not dwell on the complications produced by a social separation which is, after all, perfectly natural and explicable.

10. But it has recently been discovered that the new Constitution contains possibilities which have only recently received attention.

11. The population of Mauritius is, as you are aware, composed of whites, Mulattoes, Indian Mahommedans, Hindoos, and Chinese.

12. The Indians who have completed their engagements have bought land, and it is estimated that about one-third of the land of the island is in the hands of small planters, mostly Indians.

as small retail traders.

A number also have set up possession of immove-

13. Amongst the qualifications for an elector are able property of the annual value of Rs. 300, or the monthly value of Rs. 25, or the possession of moveable property to the value of Rs. 3,000.

possess-

14. There can be no doubt, therefore, but that there are many Indians ing the above qualifications who are not registered. The registered electors number 6,555, and 5,117 voted at the last general election. A very large proportion of these electors are Government servants of the Creole class, who draw a monthly salary of Rs. 50. (See qualification 4 (e), page J. 2. of Blue Book.)

15. The leading residents of a district, mostly gentlemen of the white popula- tion, have hitherto had sufficient influence over the salaried classes as well as the estate owners to secure election, and although there are gentlemen with some coloured blood in their veins now in the Council of Government, still the Council may, on the whole, be described as a white Council.

16. But this condition of affairs is not likely to continue. An agitation has recently been started by a body of gentlemen calling themselves the Action Libérale. These gentlemen aim at a reform of the Constitution in a more democratic sense, and have held public meetings at which they have appealed to the Indian population. 17. Nor is this all. A Baboo agitator, a barrister by profession, Mr. Manilal M. Doctor, has been interesting himself in the condition of the Asiatic population here. In so far as his interference has brought to light well-grounded grievances, I have no fault to find with his action, and am indeed grateful for the information furnished by him. The secret thoughts and grievances of the Indian population must always be a matter of interest to any Governor, and I would be the last to complain if they are brought to notice.

18. But I have reason to believe that Mr. Manilal's activities have further.

gone He has sought to instil into the minds of the Indians ideas and ambitions and grievances which did not exist there before.

19.

This was probably inevitable; even if a Baboo agitator had not arrived from India, our local educational system would have created one.

20. But it is evident that the combined agitation of the Action Libérale is likely to create a new political condition. The agitation in favour of more democra- tic institutions must produce a reaction on the other side, and various leading French gentlemen have told me that they deplore the Reform movement, that they would be glad to return to the nominee system, and that, as matters are now going, we shall soon have a black Council of Government.

21. This would certainly make matters worse. In the existing Council there is an unofficial majority, and the Government has responsibility without power. But as a general rule the Governor, by his social or polítical or personal influence, can carry almost any measure which is not directly antagonistic to public feeling.

22. But a black Council, composed of coloured demagogues, appealing to an ignorant mob out of doors would greatly increase the difficulties of Government. There is also, I consider, great danger in electoral appeals to the Indian population. Caste or race feeling are obvious factors which can be utilised, and it would be contrary to experience if candidates were to neglect any sentiment or prejudice likely to be of use to them.

23. It is evident, therefore, that public opinion may shortly be expected to separate into two different schools of thought. The first mainly composed of the white population and men of property in favour of a return to the nominee system; the other in favour of a more "liberal" Constitution framed on more democratic lines.

24. Both demands are, to my mind, objectionable, and I consider the mainten- ance of the existing system difficult, if not impossible.