80
inducements held out to the coolies to desert to Venezuela, where they are, of course, unprotected; and of the ease with which, owing to geographical conditions, this desertion can be effected. The children of indentured labourers are not required to perform any serious work in Trinidad, and there are Canadian mission schools at or near most of the large estates. Further it will be observed that the Governor and the Executive Council agree, in principle, to the establishment of a separate prison for persons sentenced for breaches of the Immigration Ordinances, but that it may be found necessary, for financial reasons, to defer the execution of the project. A similar scheme was under consideration in 1905, but it was abandoned in view of the representations of the Governor, the late Sir H. Jackson, who con- sidered that such an establishment "might be misinterpreted in public opinion as a place for visiting the coolies with special pains and penalties."
8. Mr. Harcourt agrees with the Indian Government that the Indian popula- tion of Trinidad should be represented upon the Legislative Council, provided that a suitable representative can be found. A suggestion to this effect has formed the subject of official correspondence with the Governor of Trinidad, who regards it with favour; but the Legislative Council of Trinidad is not a large body, and there are many important interests in Trinidad with strong claims to representation upon the Legislature. It is, therefore, impossible to give an undertaking that the next or any specific vacancy will be reserved for a representative of the Indian population, especially as the Governor has not as yet been able to put forward the name of any gentleman who would appear to he thoroughly qualified to act in that capacity.
9. It is proposed to instruct the Governor of Trinidad to follow the procedure which is being adopted in British Guiana (see paragraph 8 of Sir F. Hodgson's despatch*), and to send nominal rolls to the Office of the Protector of Immigrants in India showing the distribution of the indentured immigrants amongst the
estates.
10. The despatch from the Governor of British Guiana requires little com- ment. Lists are to be kept of the prosecutions instituted upon the various estates, and where prosecutions are considered to have been unnecessary, the estate owners will be warned that should such prosecutions continue it may be necessary to con- sider whether further emigrants can be allotted to the estate in question. I am to enclose a copy of an Ordinance,† which has been passed by the Court of Policy of British Guiana, modifying the powers conferred upon the Police by Section 127 of the Immigration Ordinance, 1891, for effecting the arrest of suspected deserters. The information furnished as to the facilities afforded to immigrants for acquiring land appears to be satisfactory. It will also be seen that the condition of the children upon the estates is being carefully enquired into, and the Governor will be invited in due course to submit a further report both in regard to the work performed by the children and in regard to the question of their education.
11. The despatch from Jamaica shows that an endeavour is being made to provide one or more elementary schools for East Indian children, and that such work as is performed by children upon the estates is of a light character.
12. Special attention was called by Lord Sanderson's Committee to the pro- vision of the Jamaica Law which requires those estates which employ Indian immi- grants during the five years succeeding their first five years' indenture to pay a tax of one shilling a week for each such labourer employed. The Committee expressed doubt whether this provision might not have an adverse effect upon the immigrants' wages and their chances of employment; but they recognised that the question could only he decided by observation on the spot. The Governor has now pointed out that no complaints against the arrangement are made in Jamaica: and as it appears to afford a fair method of compelling all planters who benefit by the introduction of Indian labour to contribute to its cost, Mr. Harcourt can see no reason for its abolition--especially as no evidence has been adduced to show that it has proved in any way injurious to the interests of the Indian population.
• No. 12.
I am, &c.,
↑ Ordinance No. 25.
G. V. FIDDES.
4452
81
No. 51.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION AGENTS AT CALCUTTA FOR TRINIDAD, FIJI, AND JAMAICA, AND FOR BRITISH GUIANA.
SIR,
[Answered by No. 53.]
WITH reference to previous correspondence in regard to the report of Lord
Downing Street, 21 March, 1912. Sanderson's Committee upon emigration from India to the Crown Colonies, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to inform you that he has had under his con- sideration a letter* from the India Office, covering a despatch from the Government of India, both of which strongly support the view of the Committee that the two Emigration Agencies at Calcutta should be amalgamated.
2. The proposal for the amalgamation of the Agencies is not a new one (see paragraph 81 of the report of the Committee) nor is the contemplated change, which concerns only the staff of the two Agencies, but not the depôts, a very extensive one; and, after full consideration, Mr. Harcourt is satisfied that it would not be possible for him to resist the proposal, which is considered necessary both by the Government of India and by the Secretary of State for India in the interest of recruiting. He has therefore informed the Governors of the four Colonies con- cerned, viz., Trinidad, British Guiana,' Jamaica, and Fiji, that the amalgamation must take place.
3. Mr. Harcourt has also expressed concurrence in the view that a responsible agent should be stationed in the centre of the recruiting districts in the United Provinces. The question whether the officer selected should reside at Benares, Fyzabad, or some other station is a matter of detail, which need not be decided at the present juncture.
4.
There would appear to be no objection in principle to the proposed restric- tion of the area of recruiting, but Mr. Harcourt has pointed out that it is desirable that you should be fully consulted before definite restrictions are agreed upon, and he has suggested that any reasonable modifications which you may desire should, if possible, be accepted. He trusts that the Indian Government will give careful consideration to the views of the Colonial Emigration Authorities at Calcutta both in regard to this matter and also in regard to the station in the United Provinces which should be chosen as the residence of the up-country agent.
5. As [you are] [Mr. Marsden is] leaving India on or about the 1st of May, on nine months' leave of absence, it is not proposed to make any permanent appoint- ment to the emigration staff at present, but it has been decided that [Mr. Gibbes] [you] should take charge of the joint agencies in [your] [Mr. Marsden's] absence, and it has been arranged that Mr. de Boissiere, Inspector of Immigrants, Northern Division, Trinidad, should proceed to Calcutta to act temporarily as [his] [your] assistant. Mr. Harcourt has received very favourable reports upon Mr. de Boissiere's work in Trinidad, and has ascertained that he can speak Hindustani sufficiently for general purposes, though he cannot read it. It is hoped that he will reach Calcutta not later than the 1st of May. It is understood that he is leaving Trinidad immediately and that he will travel via this country. munication will be made to you as soon as it is possible to indicate more exactly A further com- the date of his arrival in India.
6. A similar letter has been addressed to the Emigration Agent for [British Guiana] [Trinidad, Jamaica, and Fiji).
11865
(No. 66.)
SIR,
I am, &c.,
H. J. READ,
for the Under-Secretary of State.
No. 52.
FIJI.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received April 18, 1912.)
Government House, Suva, Fiji, 5th March, 1912. WITH reference to my despatch, No. 28, of the 17th January last. I have the honour to report that the Bill has evoked very bitter criticism on the part of
39991
• No. 39.
† No. 45.
F
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference -
C.O.885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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