12518
6
No. 10.
GOLD COAST.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
(No. 674.) SIR,
Downing Street, 6 December, 1910. WITH reference to the late Sir J. Rodger's telegram of the 26th of March, 1909, and to Major Bryan's despatch of the 21st of June, 1909,* I have the honour to inform you that I have further considered the recommendations of the Committee on emigration from India to the Crown Colonies and Protectorates, so far as they affect the Gold Coast.
2. You will observe that the Committee state in paragraph 418 of their report that there is no field for the employment of Indian agricultural labourers on the West Coast of Africa, and that they cannot recommend the suggestion that Indian indentured labour should be employed in the mines of the Gold Coast.
3. I concur in the view of the Committee; and with regard to the proposal (to which no reference is made in the report), that 200 Indian labourers should be intro- duced for the Public Works Department, I am of opinion that, while the employment of Indian labour by the Government is less open to objection than the employment of such labour by private individuals, the experience of Nigeria shows that the introduction of Indians even for Government employment is attended with great inconvenience, and I am not prepared to consider it unless it is established that there are much stronger reasons for the adoption of such a measure than have. hitherto been shown to exist.
I have, &c.,
MY LORD,
7
Enclosure 1 in No. 11.
THE ANTI-SLAVERY AND ABORIGINES PROTECTION SOCIETY.
51, Denison House, Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, S.W.,
9th November, 1910. THE Committee of the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society has had under consideration the report of Lord Sanderson's Committee upon coolie labour, and the evidence with which that report was accompanied. My Committee deplores the evils attendant upon securing indentured women for labour in the Crown Colonies, and would urge upon His Majesty's Government the necessity of prohibiting the recruitment of unmarried women.
I am also asked to submit, for the consideration of His Majesty's Government, the proposal that all future vacancies for Protectors be filled by Indian officials paid by, and responsible to, the Indian Government.
My Committee submits this suggestion to His Majesty's Government because the evidence disclosed the fact that under existing conditions the coolie in the Colony is inadequately protected.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Crewe, K.G.,
I am, &c.,
His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for India.
TRAVERS BUXTON.
37608
SIR,
No. 11.
INDIA OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 9 December, 1910.)
[Answered by No. 15.]
L. HARCOURT.
India Office, Whitehall, S.W., 8th December, 1910.
I AM directed by the Earl of Crewe to transmit, for the consideration of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, a copy of two letters received from the Aborigines Protection Society on the Report of Lord Sanderson's Committee upon coolie labour, and of the answer which he is causing to be returned to the Society.
I am to say that His Lordship sees the gravest objections to the proposal that protectors of Indian immigrants in the Colonies should be officials paid by, and responsible to, the Government of India. Apart from obvious administrative difficulties, such an arrangement would appear likely to decrease the responsibility of Colonial Governments. The recommendation of the Sanderson Committee (para- graph 54 of Report) for the deputation of Indian officers to visit the Colonies appears to afford a far more satisfactory means of attaining the desired effect.
The Government of India," who now have the report under their consideration, are being furnished with a copy of the present correspondence. His Lordship, as at present advised, sees no necessity for special enquiry in India upon such questions of the recruitment of labourers as are covered by paragraphs 76-80 of the Com- mittee's Report.
The question asked by the Society as to the amount of Commissions paid to recruiters by the agents of the Colonies can perhaps be answered by your Depart-
ment.
I have, &c.,
Nos. 11 (a) and 11 (b) in [Cd. 5194] June, 1910.
R. RITCHIE.
MY LORD,
Enclosure 2 in No. 11.
THE ANTI-SLAVERY AND ABORIGINES PROTECTION SOCIETY.
51, Denison House, Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, S.W.,
9th November, 1910.
THE Committee of the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society has had under consideration the report of Lord Sanderson's Committee upon coolie labour, and the evidence with which that report was accompanied.
My Committee instructs me to call the attention of His Majesty's Government to certain features of this report, which it considers require the further action of the Indian Government.
The evidence discloses the fact that in order to obtain the signature of the coolies to an indenture there is a certain amount of deception practised by the recruiters, and advantage is taken of their ignorance of the nature of a contract and the character of the labour for which they engage. More than one witness before Lord Sanderson's Committee referred to the bribing of the police practised by the recruiters, who appear to be of a very low type.
My Committee has learned with deep regret that the recruiters receive so much per head on the coolies they obtain, a practice which must, in the opinion of my Committee, lead to serious abuses.
I am instructed to say, however, that the Society does not feel at liberty to press any definite steps upon His Majesty's Government until they know whether it is possible to secure fuller information on thèse points.
I
am asked, therefore, to suggest to His Majesty's Government the advisability of directing the attention of the Indian Government to these facts, and the necessity
of obtaining, either by the appointment of a Special Committee or by calling for reports, information upon the following points:-
(1) To what extent deception is practised upon the coolies;
How far it is true that the recruiters must bribe the police;
(3) What is the amount of commissions paid per head on the coolies by the
recruiting agents of the various Colonies.
My Committee also suggests the advisability of obtaining further opinions upon the characters of the recruiters, and what steps could be taken to secure a better type of men for this position.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Crewe, K.G.,
I am, &c.,
TRAVERS BUXTON.
His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for India.
33391
▲ 4
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
「 :།「 ། །
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
C.O.
Reference :-
885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.