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the Governor of Trinidad, with regard to the recommendations made by the repre- sentatives of the Indian Government as a result of their investigations into the condi tions of East Indian labour in that Colony.

2. Mr. Harcourt appreciates the care with which Mr. McNeil and Mr. Chim- manlal have carried out their enquiry, and he is glad that their recommendations were fully discussed with members of the Colonial Government before their final departure from the Colony.

3. It will be seen that Mr. Harcourt has caused a copy of the correspondence to be forwarded to the Colonial Emigration Agents at Calcutta for an expression of their views; and I am to suggest that a copy should also be forwarded for the consideration of the Indian Government.

I am, &c.,

30813

(No. 323.) SIR,

No. 138.

FIJI.

H. J. READ,

for the Under-Secretary of State.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 3 September, 1913.)

Government House, Suva, Fiji, 26th July, 1913. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 182, of the 31st May last,* forwarding a copy of correspondence with the Emigration Agents at Calcutta, and asking for my views respecting the proposals made for granting retiring allowances to the clerks at Calcutta whose services will not be required any longer, and for dividing among the Colonies concerned the cost of the combined Emigration Agency.

2.

In my despatch, No. 299, of the 7th instant,† I submitted for your approval a resolution of the Legislative Council in favour of increasing in 1914 the number of Indian interpreters in magisterial districts. I suggest that it should be considered, in connection with that resolution, whether it would be practicable to employ in Fiji some of the clerks at Calcutta with whose services it is proposed to dispense, pro- vided that they are qualified to act both as clerks and interpreters. If this suggestion cannot be adopted, I agree that the retiring allowances of the clerks should be computed on the basis suggested in the 8th paragraph of Sir H. W. Just's letter of the 24th May last‡ to the Emigration Agents at Calcutta for British Guiana, Jamaica, Trinidad, Fiji, &c.

3. The grant of allowances to officers who have served for 15 years in non- pensionable offices is governed by Section 21 of the Regulations contained in the Schedule to Ordinance No. 13 of 1907. I enclose, for facility of reference, a copy of the Regulation in question, and, if it should be decided to extend exceptional treatment to the clerks at Calcutta, I do not think it will be necessary to consult in the matter the Legislative Council, as the retiring allowances to be granted will form a charge against the Indian Introduction Fund and not against general

revenue.

4. I agree with the views expressed by Mr. Gibbes and Mr. Marsden in the 13th paragraph of their letter of the 3rd April last§ in regard to the financial arrangements to be adopted in consequence of the amalgamation of the emigration agencies and the division among the Colonies concerned of the expenses that will be incurred annually.

225

or upwards and has during that period been required to give his whole time to the service of the Government, a monthly allowance may be granted to such officer not exceeding three-fourths of the pension to which he would have been entitled had he been employed in a pensionable office, or in lieu of such allowance there may be paid to him a capital sum equal to the amount of sixty of such monthly payments, but no such capital sum shall be paid in any case of retirement on the ground of ill-health, provided that where an officer has been transferred from a pensionable to a non-pensionable office he shall be entitled, either (1) to count his service in the non-pensionable office as though it were service in a pensionable office at the salary which he received immediately prior to such transfer, or (2) to count his service in the pensionable office as though it were service in the non-pensionable office, and to take the benefit of this section accordingly.

31098

SIR,

No. 139. TRINIDAD.

INDIA OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 6 September, 1913.)

[Answered by L.F. transmitting copies of Nos. 151 and 152.]

India Office, Whitehall, London, S.W.,

5th September, 1913. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Read's letter of the 8th August, No. 21579,* on the subject of the recommendations made by the representatives of the Government of India as a result of their investigations into the conditions of East Indian labour in Trinidad, and to say that His Lordship is pleased to learn that Messrs. McNeill and Chimman Lal were so fortunate as to have an opportunity of discussing their suggestions with officers of the Government of Trinidad.

I am also to express the satisfaction of the Secretary of State that the recom- mendations of the delegates have met with so general an approval on the part of the Colonial Government, and to say that he awaits with interest the result of the important suggestion made by Mr. Secretary Harcourt as regards the leasing of Crown lands to labourers.

A copy of the correspondence is being forwarded to the Government of India for their consideration.

With reference to the correspondence ending with Mr. Montagu's letter of the 5th June last, I am directed to enclose, for the information of Mr. Secretary Har- court, copy of the marginally-noted letter from No. 41 C. and I. dated 24th July. the Government of India, from which it will be seen that they have no objection to offer to the Trinidad Immigration (Amendment) Ordinance No. 2 of 1913, and to state that the Marquess of Crewe concurs in their view.

The provisions of the Trinidad Labour Law as to compulsory prosecution of deserters, and arrest without warrant of labourers unlawfully absent from their employers' estates, have already been discussed by the Government of Trinidad and Messrs. McNeill and Chimman Lal, and Lord Crewe trusts that the legislation proposed by the Colonial Government will deal satisfactorily,with these matters.

His Lordship would be obliged if he could be supplied with a copy of the Immigration Ordinance No. 56 of 1912, for transmission to the Government of India.

I have, &c.,

LIONEL ABRAHAMS.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.8

885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

I have, &c.,

BICKHAM ESCOTT,

Governor.

Enclosure in No. 138.

Allowance to officers who have served fifteen years in non-pensionable office.

21.

In the case of an officer who is not qualified for a pension or gratuity under these regulations, but has continuously served the Colony for fifteen years

27173: not printed.

‡ No. 121.

§ No. 119.

No. 123.

Enclosure in No. 139.

(No. 44 of 1913.)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.-EMIGRATION. MY LORD MARQUESS,

Simla, 24th July, 1913. We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch, No. 147 (Public), dated the 6th June, 1913, and enclosures, regarding the Trinidad Immigration (Amendment) Ordinance No. 2 of 1913, and to say that we have no

† 19052: not printed.

• No. 137.