CO885-(11-12) — Page 219

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اشا

TILTI

PUBLIC

RECORD OFFICI

Reference -

C.O.882/1

12

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

1.50

I do not know whether you will agree with me when I say that something must be done at once to avoid inevitable disaster in the near future; I really believe the time has come when the Home Government should be advised once again and more emphatically of the plight of the Colony at the present juncture and the total inadequacy of the relief afforded. It would be the appeal of a community, whose agricultural, industrial, and economic activities are entirely bound up with one resource, on which Government and other institutions all depend for their revenue and subsistence, and which is now threatened with collapse if effective relief is not forthcoming.

C. 93921/32 [No. 19].

No. 45.

Telegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor of Mauritius.

(Sent 12 noon, 5th February, 1932.)

No. 25. Confidential. Your telegram No. 20. I agree to pro- posed scale of graduation to come into force without further delay. Presume you agree that appointments to existing vacancies on revised salaries recommended by Commissioners should be exempt from levy and that reorganized salaries for other higher posts will be applied as soon as it has been possible to give consideration to Commissioners' full proposals and as administrative organizations to which they are related are carried out.-CUNLIFFE-LISTER.

C. 93921/32 [No. 23].

No. 46.

Telegram from the Governor of Mauritius to the Secretary of

State for the Colonies.

(Received 9.35 a.m., 12th February, 1932.) [Answered by No. 50.]

(Paraphrase.)

12th February. Secret. There is a growing feeling here of resentment against measures of taxation and retrenchment which are being put forward and a public meeting is being held by all Unofficial Members of the Cound both Elected and Nominated protesting against any further taxation and that a Council of

* No. 43.

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Government has not been consulted more fully in connexion with the measures already approved. I will telegraph further particulars about this to-morrow. I must say, however, Financial Commission has, I think, considerably overestimated the capacity of the better classes to pay under present circumstances.

Next two months will be the most critical period as middle of April sees the conclusion of the hurricane season and of financial arrangements for the coming crops. Prospects will very largely depend on whether any extension of preferential treatment of sugar is in contemplation in connexion with budget. I consider that if there is any reason to anticipate this it would be wiser to go słówly with reorganization and taxation measures in the meantime as outlook would be entirely changed by declaration of further pre- ference. If there is no such prospect it will be necessary to press through measures as quickly as possible regardless of consequences but there is definite risk of public agitation and disturbance which might to a great extent nullify immediate effect of economies.

C. 93921/32 [No. 25].

No. 47.

Telegram from the Governor of Mauritius to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

(Received 5.10 p.m., 16th February, 1932.)

16th February. No. 32. A public meeting was called yesterday by the Unofficial Members of the Council both Elected and Nominated at which Resolutions were passed to the following general effect :-

(1) Proposal absolute incapacity of the population to bear any increase of taxation during the present depressed condition of the sugar industry;

(2) conviction that the Budget can be balanced by retrench- ments notably by more extensive revision of salaries;

(3) present critical position of Administration mainly due to the fact that representatives of the people have no effective control over aforesaid Administration;

(4) request that Unofficial Members be given larger share in the administration of the Government in matters of strict local interest to ensure more efficient co-operation between the Government and representatives;

(5) calls attention to urgent necessity for combating unem- ployment and of avoiding measures tending to increase it. In this connexion opening of granary especially inopportune.

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