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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

།། ། ། ། །

سلسل

Reference :-

C.O. 8

885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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and that when a batch of 800 adults is ready for shipment there are actually at least a thousand emigrants for whom the regulated accommodation has to be vided, it will be obvious that the advantage in the matter of dimensions is all on pro- the side of our present premises, which are licensed to accommodate 1,033 emigrants, whereas the Natal premises in question afford accommodation for only 600, for which they were licensed when the depot was working, and in consequence of which that Agency had to maintain in addition two subsidiary depôts as stated above. Nor is it only in the matter of dimensions that the Natal premises compare unfavour- ably. They are situated in the vicinity of two Hindu burial-grounds, and face a street (Surianarayana Chetty Street) by which corpses in this part of the city are taken to be buried or burned; our present premises, on the other hand, open to a road (Tiruvotiyur High Road) on which they are confronted by large bungalows occupied by the more wealthy and better class of Indians-one of the finest roads in. the city. As to the distance to the wharf from the two premises, respectively, which the coolies have to travel when proceeding on foot, a glance at the map will show that the difference is so slight as to be a negligible quantity. The route taken on the journey is shown in yellow on the map, and, harring the small strip of road between the two premises which makes the difference, is the same for both. If, how- ever, instead of the coolies being marched on foot to the Custom House to be embarked from there after final inspection by the Protector and Medical Inspector of Emigrants, as has hitherto been the procedure, it could be arranged for the final inspection being done at the depôt itself, and the coolies despatched by railway direct to the wharf, our present premises would have the further advantage of being so much nearer the railway station (Tondiarpet Station) where they would be entrained.

5. I understand that, adding the price paid for the land to the expenditure incurred on the buildings thereon, the Natal depôt in question has cost the Govern- ment of that Colony a lakh (a hundred thousand rupees), and I presume that, in selling, that will be the sum which will be expected for the property. Government of Fiji are disposed to invest in such property in Madras, my own If the idea is that the investment would be decidedly better made in the premises that we are now using, which I believe the owner is willing to sell, and which, I think, we may be able to acquire, as stands at present, for Rs. 25,000, or even 20,000. But in the present state of Indian public feeling against indentured Indian labour for the Colonies, as gauged by the proceedings at the last session of the Viceregal Legislative Council, I do not think it would at present he advisable to acquire any landed property at all in India. We might do worse than wait and see. considered, we are, I should say, holding our present premises on very easy terms, All things the monthly charge for rent—including the rent (Rs. 20) for the adjoining premises containing the bungalow which forms jointly the Agent's Office and the Resident Medical Officer's quarters (shown in the plan)-is only Rs. 100.

I have, &c.,

J. E. CONRAN, The Honourable the

Colonial Secretary, Suva, Fiji.

Government Emigration Agent for Fiji.

P.S.--I am also sending you by this opportunity a photograph of our depôt, showing four of the accommodation sheds, the single women's quarters, the general latrine, and the depôt oflice, as viewed from the south-west corner of the depôt.

J. E. C.

Enclosure 3 in No. 85.

Honourable Colonial SecreTARY,

From the enclosed report received from the Emigration Agent, Madras, 1 learn for the first time that the Fiji-Mauritius depôt which was visited by me in 1904 has been closed, and a new depôt formed and very substantially improved at the expense of this Colony.

2. It is rather surprising to note that these steps have been taken without reference of any kind to this Government, or so far as I am aware, to the Secretary of State. A proceeding of such importance as the leasing of new premises should have been notified by the Emigration Agent, and the necessary expenditure for the Construction of the substantial buildings referred to in paragraph 3 of Mr. Conran's letter approved

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3. There is nothing in the quarterly statements of the Agency accounts to show that the construction of 10 new buildings (with substantial masonry pillars, tiled roofs, and cement floors) have been provided during the past few years, unless the expense is covered under the head of repairs" (see enclosed extract from accounts).

4. As the depôt has been kept open practically by Fiji alone, even when no recruits were required, it must be presumed that Fiji has paid for the work done on these buildings. There is no indication what proportion for “repairs" has been charged to Trinidad.

5. Mr. Conran omits to give particulars as to the term of the lease of the depôt, in whose name the lease (if there is a lease) is held. In view of the con- siderable sum expended in permanent improvements, it is desirable that full particulars as to tenure should be ascertained.

6. The Emigration Agent reports that the premises of the Natal Agency are too small, and cannot be extended sufficiently to accommodate a complement for the present steamers without utilising sub-depôts for the purpose.

7. The despatch from the Government of India enclosed in this Minute Paper, covering the report on the Madras Agency, shows that the Protector of Emi- grants at Madras considers that the present depôt is suitable in all respects save that of distance from the place of embarkation, but, that the Natal depôt has hygienic and other advantages which make it more desirable, and the Protector suggests that it be acquired by Fiji.

8. It might be possible to increase the accommodation of the late Natal depôt, and also to obtain a lease of it. I think, however, that if a new Agent is to be appointed, the matter might be left to him to report upon.

23 July, 1912.

Enclosure 4 in No. 85.

A. R. COATES.

Fiji Government Emigration Agency, Madras, SIR,

1st August, 1912. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your telegram of the 26th ultimo as follows -"With reference to your letter, dated 20th June, please report as soon as possible by mail full particulars as to the terms under which the present depôt is rented or leased," and to state that our tenancy of the premises in question is not founded on any lease binding either party for any period, but merely on an agree ment, not written but mutually understood, that we occupy them by paying a monthly rent (which is Rs. 80) with the option to tenant and landlord of terminating occu- pancy by three months' notice on either side. We are thus free to quit any time after merely giving the landlord three months' notice. As to the landlord's right to get us out by giving us similar notice, we have some hold on him in the fact that he is hampered by a debt which he owes us, and which has been incurred in the following In paragraph 3 of my letter referred to in your telegram I stated that it was due to the landlord's co-operation that the improvements in the depôt in the matter of the substantial erections mentioned in that letter were effected as cheaply as they cost. This co-operation was secured on the condition that the cost of his share in the construction of buildings was to be advanced by the Agency and deducted from the rent by monthly stoppage of half the rent till the amount of the advances thus made was cleared. The debt so incurred by the landlord amounts up to date to Rs. 1,586.11, so that, if no further liability is meanwhile incurred by him, he will not be quit for about three and a half years. Of course, it is open to him to pay up the debt at once, and give us three months' notice if he wants us to go, but I do not consider that there is any probability of this happening.

manner.

may mention that, besides the rent of Rs. 80 per mensem which he gets from us for the premises, he also derives a monthly net income of Rs. 50 from the rental of the coco-nut trees thereon for toddy. There are nearly a thousand of these trees on the ground, on which there are also some mango trees, which also bring him some small revenue annually when let for the fruit.

The Honourable the

83391

Colonial Secretary,

Suva, Fiji.

I have, &c..

J. E. CONRAN, Government Emigration Agent for Fiji.

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