CO885-(20-21) — Page 513

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

mmimmim PELLI C.O.885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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162

No. 109.

COLONIAL OFFICE to THE COVERNMENT EMIGRATION AGENT AT CALCUTTA FOR BRITISH GUIANA.

(Sent 4.30 p.m., 15 February, 1913.) TELEGRAM.

Your letter of 22 January.* Points raised should be discussed with Marsden, and should be dealt with in joint report.-UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES.

$865

SIR,

No. 110.

INDIA OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 18 February, 1913.)

India Office, Whitehall, London, S.W., WITH reference to my letter of 29th January last, I am directed

18 February, 1913. by the Secretary of State for India to forward, for the information of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, copy of a telegram which has been received from India regarding the proposed establishment of a coolie recruiting agency in the United Provinces.

As regards the restriction of the area of recruiting and the method of remu- nerating the recruiters, it will be seen that the Government of India are willing to postpone action for one year. In this decision the Marquess of Crewe concurs.

I have, &c.,

T. W. HOLDERNESS.

Enclosure in No. 110. FROM GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. TELEGRAM.

Reference proposed changes in recruiting arrangements for Colonies. We are

5th February, 1913. prepared to proceed with establishment of up-country Agency in consultation with Agents concerned, and are willing to defer restriction of area of recruitment as well as any alteration in method of remuneration of recruiters for one year. enable us to benefit by advice of the deputation at present on way to the Colonies, This will and will also permit of satisfactory arrangements being made for the establishment of up-country Agency before further changes are made.

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No. 111. FIJI.

163

Enclosure in No. 111.

HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY,

Noted.

In regard to paragraph 2 of despatch from Secretary of State, 287/12, the request of the Government of India can of course be carried out, but I should like to know exactly what kind of return would be of most use to the Protector of Emigrants without entailing an unnecessary amount of labour in carrying into effect.

2.

To prepare an annual return of the whole number of indentured immigrants (some 13,000 adults) would prove a most formidable undertaking.

3. Perhaps all that is needed is an annual return showing the particulars of immigrants who have been introduced in each year, and the plantations to which each has been indentured. This would include some 3,000 to 3,500 adults annually.

4. I can write to the Protector of Emigrants at Calcutta and ascertain what form would be of service to him.

In practice the Protector makes enquiry two or three times in the year as to the welfare of some immigrant, at the relatives' request, and the desired information is promptly given. I really think the present course is all that is necessary.

5. By Ordinance, employers are required to furnish returns giving full details of plantation population on 30th June and 31st December in each year, but copies of these returns would be of no use to the Emigration Agent, as he would not be able to trace an immigrant without much research.

21 December, 1912.

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SIR,

No. 112.

COLONIAL OFFICE to INDIA OFFICE. [Answered by No. 114.]

A. R. COATES.

Downing Street, 20 February, 1913.

WITH reference to previous correspondence on the subject of recruiting labour in India for Surinam by the Dutch Agency, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Har- court to transmit to you, to be laid before the Marquess of Crewe, the accompanying extract from a letter* which has been received from the Emigration Agent for British Guiana at Calcutta, in which he deals further with this question.

2. I am to enquire whether any further communication has been received from the Foreign Office as to the proposal that recruiting for Surinam should be effected by means of the Colonial Emigration Agencies, and if not, whether Lord Crewe con- siders that any further action can usefully be taken with a view to expediting the consideration of this question.

I am, &c.,

HENRY LAMBERT,

for the Under-Secretary of State.

(No. 1.) SIR,

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 18 February, 1913.)

[Copy to India Office, 26 February, 1913. L.F.]

Government House, Suva, Fiji, 3rd January, 1913. WITH reference to the second paragraph of your despatch, No. 287, of the 29th October last, I have the honour to transmit, for your information, a copy of a minute by the Agent-General of Immigration, on the subject of the preparation of a nominal roll of Indian labourers employed in Fiji, and to report that I have authorised the Agent-General of Immigration to communicate with the Protector of Emigrants, Calcutta, as to the form in which the return should be rendered.

2. I take this opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your despatch, No. 292, of the 6th November last, § informing me of the selection of Lala Chim- minlal to accompany Mr. J. McNeill in his visits to the West Indian Colonies and to Fiji.

I have, &c..

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No. 113.

COLONIAL OFFICE to THE GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION AGENT AT CALCUTTA FOR BRITISH GUIANA.

your

SIR,

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to acknowledge the receipt of

Downing Street, 20 February, 1913. letters of the 9th of January and of the 22nd of January,t relative to the measures to be taken in connection with the amalgamation of the Emigration Agencies at Çalcutta.

2. You will have learnt from the telegrams sent to you on the 12th and 15th instant that Mr. Harcourt desires that the various points raised in your letters should be fully discussed between Mr. Marsden and yourself, and dealt with in the joint report which you have been instructed to furnish.

3. Mr. Harcourt notes the view expressed in your letter of the 9th of January§ that the Emigration Agent who does not reside at Calcutta should have his head-

BICKHAM ESCOTT,

Governor.

• No. 107.

† No. 102,

‡ No. 80.

§ L.F. transmitting copy of No. 77.

· Paragraph 14 of No. 107.

† Nos. 103 and 107.

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Nos. 108 and 109.

§ No. 103.

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