CO882-(8-9) — Page 330

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

6

24 J. 120

MACHITHS ROYAL COMMISSION, 1909

Sir CAVENDISH BOYLE, E C.M.G.

bas anse that a practically a stamp. the other would be were in the form of a tax.

th

12. Now, coming to expenditure, do you think Government expenditure can be reduced? By I am w degrees, yes, but only so, that is to say, taking tow of the expenditure on the administration. -hall ask to be allowed to make an observation, later , upon the whole question

1:39 M Work Perhaps to a lawyer, these things rather trable me, but when you speak of in that both - succession duty, would you include

moval les el inmovable? -Yea, lut 1 would make the bugle rate on the immovables

126 If you please, will you include them both ?- Yen the higher rate on the immovables

1211 (Chairman) I notice that in a despatch which Reduction you wrote on the 27th April, 190M, you said

in the expenditure on establishments cannot be fected rapidly Nearly four yours" experience in this Colony have convinced me of the difficulty, indeed of the possibility, of carrying into effect any immediate Whilst I feel medial measure in that connection. justified in stating that appreciable economies have been secured by a systematic retrenchment whenever opportunity has offered, the automatic growth of charges for education and the unceasing and increas ing drain on the resources of the Colony, brought about by much visitations as plague and surra, by the methods taken to protect them from further ravages, have more than counterbalanced the effect of all *such economies as it has been possible to effect." Do you still think that -No

1242 Will you tell us why ?-I think that we are gradually effecting economies in those draining esta ishments to which I refer in that despatch. We have succeeded in making considerable reductions in the I hope to continue expenditure on plague and surra. that policy effectively

1243. Now generally with regard to establishments? With regard to establishments. I find it very uphill From hetween August work to make any reductions. 190-and I am afraid I am going a little into the past. but I must do so to illustrate my meaning-and May 1905. I was in a position to report to the Secretary of State, that reductions have been effected either by abolition of offices, or by reduction of salary, to the I considered that that extent of Rs. 29,000 per annum. was a very appreciable reduction at that time.

Sub-

quently to that the same policy was continued, perhaps not quite in the same ratio, but still further reductions were made, but exactly what happened and may happen again is this those reductions were counterbalanced by the necessity which arose for entering into new engagements and employing new public servants.

1244. I understand that you think that considerable reductions might be made in those departments of the medical services which deal, more or less, with external circumstances?-1 consider that many have aready been runde, and I think that the policy of retrenchment can continue.

1245. Considerably-Yes, considerably, in pro- portion to what has been paid hitherto

1240 It has been suggested to us that the plague department might be abolished?—I should deprecate any such immediate action as that

1247 It has been suggested to us that, having a very strong, and when I say "very strong." I mean a very expensive, medical department in this Colony. when anything that is a little ont of the way happens, immediately they ask for a new and expensive staff to leal with it, and that that is not the case with any other department, that if the Government calls for something new in another department it is expected that they take it on and do it. They do not have a new branch organised on purpose to deal with it, but the medical department in Mauritius appears to be an constituted that it can do nothing new without a Is that a correct considerable augmentation of staff. statement of the position ?--I think it is an exaggerated statement of the position. The cause of the large increase in the medical department was, no doubt, due in part to panic, on the occurrence of the plague epidemic, and on the introduction of surra and, during

[Continued.

my experience, on the introduction of an epidemic of small-p. Ou such occasions the general public loses its head, it rushes to the administration; it rushes to the medical department and it demands every sort of measure of prevention, if not of cure, and I think that due credit must be given to the medical department for the work done whilst exposed to such a condition of affairs as that. I quite admit that much expenditure has been incurred which might have been avoided, but whether the members of the medical department were capable, without extra assistance, of doing all the work which was thrown upon them in consequence of these visitations I am not prepared to say at this moment. That the expenses may yet be materially reduced I am perfectly certain.

124. It has been suggested to us also that there is a quarantine establishment in Mauritius which is very ex- pensive, and practically has been proved to be useless - The quarantine establishment conte Rs. 9,698 per annum at the present moment. I do not think that is too much.

1249 Is it of any value P-That question must be answered on the answer which is given to the question, Is quarantine of any use? As long as we have the law must have a quarantine relating to quarantine, we establishment

1250 Then, in your opinion, that cannot be reduced ? -I think that considering that in some of the previous Rs. 113,000, years the expenditure on

thut

WHA

Ra. 335,000; Rs. 308,000, and Rs. 101,000 and so forth,

I should not touch that. Rs. 9.698 is very moderate.

1251 A witness has stated to us, or has invited attention to something which had already, I need hardly Buy, struck every one of the members of the Commission, that is, that with the enormous cost of the medical department in Mauritius, in spite of the ever-growing figures, which bave now reached Rs. 800,000 per annum, the death rate has constantly increased with the growing expenditure of the department !--That is so, I fear.

1252. That naturally causes one furiously to think ? The medical department, you must recollect, was reorganised some few years back after lengthy con sideration. The result of that reorganisation was a very considerable addition to the then large expenditure which was incurred, but I cannot think that during the 25 years which have been reviewed the increase of 100 per cent. on the expenditure in the medical department has been justified by the results which have been obtained.

1253. Will you give us your view with reference to the medical department. We are considering a position which you know very well, where the revenue does not meet the expenditure; where it is absolutely necessary to apply the pruning knife wherever it is possible. Now, with your experience of this Colony and others, in regard to this medical department, will you tell us what you yourself think might be done with it, I mean covering all its branches, whether it is called plague department or medical department ?-Happily those are all amalgamated now; they are not paid as they were formerly. It is a very difficult question to answer. We have effected a reduction on the sub-item of plague-a considerable reduction. To reduce the Rs. 800,000, which the medical and health department costs, would entail the abolition of certain offices and a most drastic aystem of economy with regard to hospitals, which are. I think, the cause of a considerable amount of expenditure.

**

1254. There is a suggestion made by a Dr. W. A. Edwards, C.M.G.. which is this: "There would be a "considerable saving for Government if we were to start back by entrusting the management of the "health service to a general board, which would be a supervising body, with loral boards, as was the case "when Ordinance No. 18 of 1860 was in force with "amended Ordinance No. 11 of 1870, with only some slight modifications being made to meet the present "circumstancea." I do not pretend that I entirely understand what that is except in so far that it appears to propone that the medical department should be placed under a board of control of people of the place who are not medical officers. Should you be in favour of that?—I should resist that most strenuously sa long so I have the honour to administer the Colony.

*

24 June 1909.]

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Sir CAVENDISH BOYLE, K.C.M.G.

1255. It is, I think you will agree with me, advisable, wherever possible to compare colonies similarly consti- tuted as regards their revenue and expenditure, and, with reference to this medical expenditur here, 1 should kike to point out that in Mauritius in 1907-8 the figures are given. Medical and Health, Rs. 801,000; Quaran- Now the total tine, Rs. 9,693; Plague, Rs. 132,162. similar expenditure in Hong Kong during the same time you know how they have been troubled with plague was Rs. 325,000; the total similar expenditure in the Straite Settlements was Rs. 894,000, and they have an emigration from China annually of between 200,000 and 250,000 Chinese, besides dealing with a Now, having population twice as large as it is here. regard to those figures, does not it seem to you that the medical and health expenditure here is very abnormal-I should say, yes, if I was assured that they were in exact relation, but I do not know that that is 80. I do not know that the Hong Kong figures include a large expenditure on eleemosynary works, which ours do. I have just said that I believe, and I believe that I am justified in saying, that a very consi derable amount of the expenditure of Rs. 943,798, which is the total figure you have just read, is caused by the taking into the hospitals of paupers, and of people unable to pay for their medical care

1256. It is partly a poor house then ?-There is no doubt about that.

1257. (Mr. Woodcock.) Dues that appear also as a charge under the Poor Law administration -Oh, no, the hospital administration is distinct from the poor law. The only institution of that description for which the poor law is responsible is the Barkly Asylum. The lunatic asylum is not included in this.

1258. (Chairman.) A little lower down, the next item but one, I find Mauritius Poor Rs. 259,406, against which there is no similar expenditure in either Ceylon, the Straite Settlements or Hong Kong ?-Our expen

the only word I diture on poor is appalling. That can use for it, and the increase gives cause for equal anxiety.

1259. (Mr. Woodcock.) You will see in that Report of 1907, on page 44, the country district hospitals. Is that your point? A number of cases of other hospitals are enumerated P-I think those were the recipients of relief turned over by the Poor Law Commissioner to the hospitals, in consequence of the overflow at the Barkly Asylum.

1260. Do I understand you to say that they would first be charged, perchance, against the medical service, and then a large number of them would subsequently find their way into these hospitals and be charged to them; that the first stage of their history would be a charge against the medical service, and the subsequent charge against the Poor Law?—I think that is how it is worked out in the report. You see those are only numbers; rates are not mentioned.

1261. I appreciate that, but, as it is dealing with Poor Law relief, one is entitled to assume, I suppose, that those are the figures which are chargeable ----I think the reporter took those figures out, wishing to show how largely the number of paupers seeking and obtaining relief had increased.

(Mr. Woodcock.) I do not think I shall trouble you further about the matter. I only wanted to understand the answer which you were good enough to make to the Chairman on the other point.

1262. (Chairman.) Would you agree that great economies might properly be effected in the medical and health department P-I think so.

1269. Whilst I am on that point, you have had herr Major Ross to give you a special report in regard to malaria. He has suggested an expenditure which would be large for a very prosperous Colony. What is your view with reference to his suggestion P-He has suggested, as you say, an expenditure which would be large for a very prosperous Colony, and which would be heary indeed for this Colony. He has suggested a capital expenditure of Rs. 690,000, with an annual charge for the upkeep of the result of that expenditure of Rs. 44,300, and he has also suggested expenditure on annual works or services of Ra. 112,000. I am glad that I have had an opportunity of saying this, because

[Continued

7

I wish to illustrate what the effect of any reduction hitherto made have been. We may reduce the general expenditure on the medical department and we are instantly confronted by an addition of one in eight to the whole expenditure in order to carry out the general recommendations of Major Ross, solely on his annual recurrency of service, nevertheless I believe that anti- mosquito measures are effective to a certain extent—I will admit so at once, but in a Colony of this descrip. tion, with its widespread population; with its number of Indian residente; with the scattered housing of the people; the poverty of those houses; the proximity of those houses and habitations to positions which it would be impossible to free entirely from the poisonous mosquito, whether the result of taking such measures as are recommended by Major Ross, if adopted, ao to speak, with one's eyes shut, would be commensurate with the expenditure, I cannot pretend to say certainly But I do not think that they would. I was the cause of Professor Ross visiting the Colony. I have had the opportunity of consulting with him during his visit and subsequently, and I have very full belief in his theories and in the methods which he proposes, but whether those methods can be adopted here in our present position, and should be adopted here now in our present position, I cannot say. I am not proposing to say that I they should be all adopted at the present moment. think that it would be highly desirable that some portion of his annual recurrent services should be carried out. As far as is within our power that is being done now, small sume are being spent for the

taking of a spleen census for the free distribution of quinine and for the free education of the people by men trained under Professor Ross's own guidance, or else subsequently trained under a gentleman who was selected to continue the work after he left.

1264. Do you propose to recommend to the Becre- tary of State the carrying out of any of those works which would involve the large capital expenditure that he speaks of !-Certainly not at present. I should be inclined to recommend to the Secretary of State that the minor works should be taken in hand.. In fact if I had had no deficit this year and the possibility of a surplus next year, and if the estimates could have borne it, I should have inserted provision for as much of the Ba. 112,000 as possible.

1265. Having regard to the state of health in Mauritius to-day in regard to malaria, do you consider that there is extreme urgency in regard to dealing with it At the immediate moment Mauritius has for- gotten for the time all about malaria. If an epidemic occurs again and a panic arises, then, of course, the same agitation will take place.

1266. I ask you, not as an expert but as having resided in many countries where the mosquito and malaria are common, if you were to spend all this money and do all these things, do you think that you could drive the dangerous mosquito out of Mauritius- the anophelene, I mean?-I must give you a qualified answer to that. Modern experience and modern science is all in favour of Dr. Ross's theory; it goes so far that recently, when I was passing through Natal, at Durban, I found that the Government, aided by the municipality of Durban, had spent a considerable number of thousands of pounds, I think it went into 200,0001, in draining a swamp because poisonous mosquitoes bred there. I conclude that they took the best advice and that they were men who would not throw away money uselessly. Therefore I suppose that there is justification for the recommendations which have been made, but whether the carrying out of those recommendations is going to result in the elimina. tion of the anopheles, of the fover-carrying mosquito, from Mauritius for all time, I cannot say; I do not think it is.

1987. At this moment malaria is not, in any sense. in an epidemic form P-It is not before the public. 1 do not think the recent returns are at all commen- surate with those which have gone before.

1268. Before leaving that question of this proposed huge further expenditure on the medical department, I should like to sak whether you would like to my any. thing else in that regard or not ?—I should like to måd

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TOPage 331

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

6

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

24 June 1902!

MAI KITUS ROYAL COMMISSION, 1900-

Sir CAVENDISH BOYLE. KC M.G

this to what I have sand, that whilst I consuler the expeamisture on the medical department can be and should be reduced. I wieh tu give it as my opinion that the reasons for this large increase were undoubtedly the Visitation under which the Colony has suffered I mean by that addition to what during recent years

I have said before to put forward my opinion that it we not entirely reckless administration which caused the increase People clamoured for remedial measures for prevention and cure and, in addition, I wish to emphasize the fact that as the poverty of the island has iner ased and does increase, and as it fluctuates, an or thexen liture of that department proportionately

integer or decrease,

120 De you suggest that sometimes the poor go the hospitals in order to get fod P-1 think the poor to hospital because they bave got no work to do. 1270 That is what 1 way-When work is offered and engagements are plentiful, the population of the hospitals and leemosynary institutions goes down rapidly

121. With regard to the expenditure on the harbour department. do you think that could be reduced-The expelituro on the harbour department lately has been considerably reduced in consequence of the cessation of the work which was undertaken in That work. dredging the harbour of Port Louis. arling to the advice which I received from my

According t expert advisers, has been completed. many members of the general community, it has not a very expensive Leen completed set. We purchased dredger, and the cost of the work performed was charged to the expenditure of that department. That dredger now is on lease to a firm of contractors in Sitnons Town, not to the Government of Cape Colony The lease is shortly to terminate, and I have under Consideration the question of selling the dredger. think that it should be sold.

1

1272. Can you tell us what it cost?-It cost 35,000.. I think, and I think we shall be lucky if we get 15,000 for it.

1273. What has been spent on its repairs or altera. non-Counting the commission and the service and everything. I should any, perhaps, 40 per cent. of its

t. That is counting the whole service.

work.

1274. What do you consider is the value of the work it has done?-It has done very valuable work commercially, and it has done more valuable work for the Navy. Should it be necessary to bring in a certain number of ships here, there are berths for them, which did not exist before It is not a completed work. because not even now can the ships which bring the produce here and take the produce away, come along- side, or anything like it, so, therefore, there in all the expense of time and labour, and the cost of the double handling, but it has brought those ships carrying or taking away our produce, carrying the imports and taking away the exports, nearer to the land. There is no doubt about that, and I think it has done good us who recommended the 1275. Can you tell purchase of this dredger -The whole subject was considered, of course, in the Legislature. A committee was appointed and they made certain recommendations. The expert advisers of the Crown Agents are Mesurs. Coode, Son & Matthews. I think they sent out an officer in their employ, who visited the place, and eventually they recommended it, and that the work should be done locally and by the local administration, and should be performed by means of this dredger.

1276. Did they recommend the purchase of this I think it was done particular dreiger?-I think so. Through the Crown Agents; they were consulted step by step. The firm mentioned also estimated for doing the work themselves.

1277. The estimated cost of the dredger would, of course, be voted by the Council of Government P-1t

was, yes.

1979. Did they vote a sum suficient for the pur chase, or, when the bill came, was it much larger than you had anticipated P-It was all done before I came here. When I came here I found that half the cost of

the dredger had been met out of revenue and the other

half

[Continued

A deficit had taken place was yet to he met and the Council of Government had approached the Secretary of State through the Officer Administering the Government with a view of his allowing a loan to be raised to meet this expense and a certain number of other items of expenditure, which should have been charged, or were about to be charged to revenue, and which would go to swell the deficit if that course was the number This item followed.

amongst WHE Eventually on consideration, and the Legislature con senting to an increase on taxation, the Secretary of loan for these purposes. State allowed me to raise

and the dredger was paid for in that way

1279 I do not wish to ask you whether you think it was a good thing to buy the dredger or not, because that is past, but, having regard to reducing expendi ture na far as possible, I understand you propose to recommend the sale of the dredger-Yes.

Do you 1280 Now you have four judges here. consider that that is too few or too many or quite right-The question of the reduction of the judges has long been before the Government, and 1 consider that the work could be done with three judges but for certain difficulties which are said to be in the way of the reduction, and which will be found in reports which I have received from every member of the Supreme Court. Those, I think, are not insurmount able objections It has been a burning question here for a very long time

121. How long is it that there have been four judges here -I could not say without reference.

1282 Before you came?—Yes.

1283. Long before?—Yes, but I cannot say when. 1284 You think that three would be enough P——

I think it is practicable to reduce the number to three. 1285. Do you think it would be possible to make any other reduction in the judicial branch of the service-wean the Supreme Court -The Supreme Court itself

1286. Yea ?-No.

1287 Do you think it would be possible to reduce any of the district magistrates or to reduce them by combining the work of any two?-It depends on the material with which we are supplied

1289. I am supposing that you have efficient officers ?--Yea. I think one or two reductions might well be made.

1289. Can you tell us how? Do you mean the details?

1290. No. I mean which tagistrate might be amalgamated?—I should like to give you that scheme You know that we have later on if you will allow me, already reduced by one magistrate in Port Louis and one elsewhere.

1291. No, I did not know that -And, if you have the figures, you will see that the magistrates cost in 1883 Rs. 308,000 and that they cost Rs. 262,000 now. I do not think that it is an item of expenditure which is calling so loudly for a reduction as perhaps the other.

1292. Do you think that the salaries of the judges are capable of reduction ?-No. I think no first class salary here is at all capable of reduction, with the exception of the Governor's.

1299. With regard to the Governor'e anlary, what would you put that at P-I proposed that it should be reduced by Rs. 25,000, but I see that in previous years taking the year 1878, for instance, it was at Ra.60,000, so that it would be better to say Rs. 60,000—reduce it by Rs. 15,000, that is 1,0001.

Was

1294. It was said to us by a witness that the Governor's salary used to be Rs. 50,000 P-Bo it was. 1295. Until comparatively recently -It Rs. 50,000 to the year 1901, I think it was, or 1902, but previously to that, which I was not aware of until even this morning, it was Rs. 60,000.

1298. (Secretary.) It used to he that is to say Ra. 80,000.

£6,000 P-Yes,

1297. (Chairman.) You have seen a proposal deal- ing with general reductions by M. Gébert, 1 think, have you not I have seen it; I have not examined it. 1998. We cannot ask you then whether you agres with it. From what I saw of it, I should not like to

24 June 1909

MINUTE OF EVIDENCE.

Sir CAVENDISH BOYLE, K.C.MG

I should say that I was not prepared to agree with it like to examine it and give you my notes on it. It was only quite recently brought to my notice, otherwise 1 should have been prepared to answer your question.

1299 Do you consider that the departments gener- ally, except those which you think might be reduced, ar properly manned as to numbers ?They are far ...rinanned.

1300. Are you in a position to tell us where you think they are overmanned. That, perhaps, would take too long -My reply was given generally. Lobviate that is an altogether different question.

How

1301 The number of employees is too many ?—I think so they are falling over each other in a great many instances, whether we shall get the work done with the material from which we recruit is another ⚫estion.

1302. Do you think, then, that the salaries are adequate?-In no case in what I may call either the first class, or the second class, or the third class are they adequate, but if they are raised it must be on the distinct understanding that the person who enjoys the raised salary will do the work of two or three persons now employed. That is the only way we could possibly do it; in other words, I consider that the rate of salary is not sufficient.

1302. The salaries of Class 1. Class 2, and Class 3 are insufficient ---Permit me to examine the figures of Classes 1, 2, and 3.

1303. But if mised greater efficiency would have to be obtained. That is what I understand you to Any -Yes: but I should like to qualify my answer Your third class extends with regard to the third class.

I will from not less than Rs. 600 and up to Rs. 3,000.

ant go so far as to say that some of those drawing Rs. 600 and some of those drawing Rs. 9,000 are under. puid.

1305. Shall I take out Class 3-Yes, perhaps that would be better.

1306. I understand you to say that you would not raise any salaries unless it were possible to reduce the numbers -Certainly not.

1307. Is there any other department which I have not mentioned where you think it would be possible to make an economy. The education department, for instance P-We have mentioned the Supreme Court, the magistrates, the port and harbour, and the medical and health. I think that is all. With regard to the education department, 1 would not reduce the esta blishment of that department.

1308. You would not P-No; or if reductions were made. I would reduce it in the lower grades of the teaching staff. That especially is a department where I think the increase to the higher grades is absolutely necessary. That is under consideration at the present moment. The desire has been strongly expressed -in fact I think the Secretary of State has expressed himself in favour of it—to give back the incremental acale, to put back a certain number of Professors of the Royal College to the scale which was stopped some years ago.

1309. That applies to the Royal College only ?— That applies to the Royal College only. Before I finish with the Royal College. I should like to say that I think that that is largely overstaffed and over- manned.

1310. You think that it is largely overstaffed and 1 think it is overmanned P-In the lower graden. highly necessary to keep up the higher grades and to pay the teachers adequate salaries for the work which they do; whether they should be allow e i to supplement their present emoluments by private tuition or not, I am not prepared to say absolutely now, but I am not sure that that system is not open to gravo objection.

1311. It, of course, is news to us that they are allowed to supplement their Government salary by private tuition? They are largely, I am not at all sure that that system is not open to very grave ubjection.

Tos.

1312. Are they pensionable officers, may I ask P-----

9

[Continued

1313. But surely that is contrary to the regula tions! They are not pensioned on what they earn for their private tuition.

1314. Then they are allowed to have a private practice P-Yes, some of them.

1315. Are they locally engaged?—Yes, some of them.

1316. You think that that is, perhaps, not a good plan I think it is not.

1317. Will you say that you thirk it is a bad plan?--It is a bad plan.

1318. What sort of education is given by the Royal College? It is excellent in every way, with very excellent results.

1319. You are strongly in favour of it as an insvi tution Undoubtedly.

1320. It used to be ut Port Louis P-Yea. 1321. It has been removed to a more healthy site, has it not?—It was moved during the plague panic.

1322. We understand that some part of the popu lation say they would like to see it back in Port Louis. What do you say with regard to that?-I think that cry, like the cry with regard to malaria, is not loudly voiced at present.

1323. It is on the wane ?-Yes, but waiting for

money, there is a project to buy a site and build a school between Rose Hill and Beau Bassin.

1324. Are you in favour of having the Royal College at Port Louis P-No.

1325. What sort of buildings has it got at its present place F-They are very inadequate.

1326. It is at Curepipe, is it not?--You.

1327. Do you see any reason for moving it, having regard to the finances of the Colony-We cannot. That is a question that is hung up. The estimate. I think, is Rs. 320,000, on a report from the Committee of the Council of Government. I may say that there is a committee still sitting on the whole system.

1328. It has been said to us in evidence that the education vote has been greatly increased in conse- quence of an Education Code which was passed in the time of Sir Charles Bruce, I think, which largely increased the expenditure, and, in the opinion of the witness, needlessly so. Do you share that view ?—I am considerably exercised and very anxious on account of the growing additions to the expenditure on education. Whether it is having a good result or not, I cannot Those are early days to form a conclusion. It has only been in force some six or seven years, but that the expenditure on education should have increased even during the last five years from Rs. 573,000 to Rs. 625,000, with no signs of abatement in that in- crease, is very serious matter. That is automatic ander the code. I should be very loth to touch it. however, if there were other means of saving.

say.

1329. You think the code is good, but rather ex- pensive P-It is bound on sound principles.

1330. The principles are good, but it is rather ex- pensive F-It is very expensive. I have great belief in the education system here. Whether its results are commensurate with the expenditure or not, I repeat it is early days to say, but, of course, when you stamine the cost over the whole period under review it is appalling to see that Rs. 377,000 were spent in 1883 and Rs. 625,000 are spent now,

1331. Have you got an Inspector of Schools here! -Not an Inspector of Schools. He is the Director of Public Instruction.

1832. I should like to sak you one general question. Is not it the case that in Mauritius there is often a Bort of Local Board of Control to deal with officers who, in other Colonies, would be absolutely independent of anything of the kind P-There is a Committee of Primary Instruction, and one of Superior Instruction.

1383. I am not speaking of education only -No, I am going to tell you what the Boards consist of. There is a Committee of Primary Instruction and there is a Committee of Superior Instruction; there is a Woods and Forests Board; there is a Railway Board; there are four Prison Boards, I think, those being Boards of Visitors, and the majority of them--