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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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of industry, which would be a matter rather for scientific experts, but they desire that you should give your attention to the questions connected with the sugar industry which have been pressed upon their notice by the planters. These relate, as stated above, to the technical equipment of the factories and to the monetary I have made prolonged enquiries with conditions under which the planters work. the view of assisting you, as regards the former of these questions, by placing at your disposal the services of an acknowledged expert, but I regret to say that I have been unable to find anyone possessing the double qualification of sufficient technical experience and freedom from local business connexions. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that you will be able to collect suflicient information to enable an accurate judgment to be formed. The main points for investigation under this head appear to be, the number of factories now at work: the percentages of extraction and the cost of production by the existing equipment; the amount of the encumbrances on the estates concerned, and the desirability, in the interest of the industry as a whole, of adding to or diminishing the number of factories. In this connexion the position of the smaller growers, who do not crush their cane, should also be considered.

9. In dealing with the question of advances to planters, you should carefully consider whether the beal circumstances of the Colony justify such action on the part of the Government and hold out sufficient prospect of any adequate advantage, You should ascertain how far the desire for in return, to the Colony as a whole such advances prevails; the indebtedness of the estates which would have recourse to them; the nature of the security which the owners would offer; how far, if at all, the relations of the owners to the existing financial institutions would be affected by the inauguration of such a system, and whether the eventual responsibilities of the Government would be increased thereby.

10. Assuming that the objections in principle to these loans, or either of them. should. in your judgment, not be final, there would still remain the question whether the credit and resources of the Colony are sufficient to warrant the raising of a loan sufficient to cover this expenditure and to provide for other services which apparently must be met from the proceeds of a loan in the near future. The question of affores- tation has been brought forward at different times, and I should welcome any information which you may be able to furnish me as to the necessity, or the desir ability, of making any considerable provision for expenditure on this account. The report of Major Ross on the prevention of malaria, which you will have had an opportunity of studying, points to the necessity of a large expenditure at the earliest possible date. And, finally, the condition of the railways is such that a large outlay from loan funds is imperatively required. Sir David Hunter, the late General Manager of the Natal Government Railways, was commissioned to enquire into the condition and requirements of the Mauritius Railways in 1907, and you will be furnished with copies of his report. It will be seen that the scope of his enquiry was limited, and it will be well that you should make a full investigation into the working of the Department. It is, perhaps, superfluous to touch upon this question, which would naturally come before you in your review of the various branches of the Administration; but having regard to the importance of the Railway Department, alike to the Government and to the general community, I would call You should endeavour to ascertain whether your special attention to the subject.

the Department appears to be properly organized for the satisfactory performance of its duties; whether the permanent staff is in excess of what is required to handle the traffic; whether the rates of pay and hours of work are reasonable; and whether proper and businesslike methods are adopted for the collection of accounts due from the public.

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11. It will be seen that the enquiry which you are about to undertake will cover a wide field, and may call for prolonged and laborious investigation. I am, however, confident that the report which you will in due course submit to His Majesty will show that you have been able successfully to discharge the important duties entrusted to you, and will be of much assistance to His Majesty's Government in dealing with the matters to which it relates.

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Enclosure in No. 123.

MAURITIUS.

COMMISSION passed under the Royal Sign Manual and Signet, appointing Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, K.C.M.G., Sir Edward Loughlin O'Malley, Knight, and Hubert Bayley Drysdale Woodcock, Esq., to be Commissioners to enquire into the condition and resources of Mauritius, and appointing Alfred John Harding, Esq. B.A.. to be Secretary.

Dated 14th May, 1909.

EDWARD R. & I.

Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India: To Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, Knight Commander of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George; Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir Edward Loughlin O'Malley, Knight, and Our Trusty and Well-beloved Hubert Bayley Drysdale Woodcock, Esquire, Barrister-at-Law, Greeting. Whereas the Council of Government of Our Colony of Mauritius on the Second day of February 1909 by a unanimous resolution invited the appointment of a Com- mission to investigate and report upon the condition and resources of the Colony;

And whereas it is expedient in view of the financial position of Our said Colony that a full and diligent enquiry should be made into the administrative and financial condition of the Government of Our said Colony, particularly with a view to the introduction of such economies in the establishments and expenditure as may be possible without detriment to the public interests, and into the industries and resources of Our said Colony;

Now We do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, Sir Edward Loughlin O'Malley, and Hubert Bayley Drysdale Wood- cock, to be Our Commissioners for the purposes of and to make such enquiry;

And We do hereby authorise and require you with all convenient despatch and by all lawful means to enter upon, and to collect evidence respecting the subject matter of, such enquiry, and to suggest such measures as appear to you best calcu- lated to restore and maintain the prosperity of Our said Colony and of its inhabi- And We do further require you to conform in all things to such instructions as shall be addressed to you through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State:

tants;

And We do hereby charge and command all Our Officers Civil and Military, and

all Our faithful subjects, and all others inhabiting Our said Colony, that in their several places and according to their respective powers and opportunities they be aiding to you in the execution of this Our Commission

And for your assistance in the due execution of these presents We have made choice of Our Trusty and Well-beloved Alfred John Harding, Esquire, Bachelor of Arts, to be Secretary to this Our Commission, and to attend you, of whose services and assistance We require you to avail yourselves from time to time, as occasion may require.

Given at Our Court at Saint James's this Fourteenth day of May 1909, in the Ninth year of Our Reign.

By His Majesty's Command,

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No. 124.

CREWE.

COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR F. A. SWETTENHAM, ŠIR E. L. O'MALLEY, and MR. H. B. DRYSDALE WOODCOCK.

I have, &o.,

CREWE.

SIR,

Downing Street, 15th May, 1909.

I AM directed by the Earl of Crewe to inform you that it has been arranged that the Members of the Royal Commission will leave England for Cape Town on the 22nd instant by the Union Castle Royal Mail Steamship "Kenilworth Castle." From Cape Town you will proceed to Mauritius on H.M.S. "Forte.”