CO885-24 — Page 110

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

4 TITT C.O. 885

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24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

202

MAURITIUS.

101. On the 1st September notice was given of the following motion in the Council of Government by the Honourable E. Sauzier, Member for Pamplemousses District:-

"The Council of Government is of opinion that the Mauritius Commer- cial Bank should have been appointed co-agent along with the Bank of Mauritius for the purchase, on behalf of the Home Government, of the Mauritius sugar required by this latter, and expresses the wish that the Secretary of State be pleased to reconsider his decision and divide the business between the two banks."

The motion was by leave withdrawn without debate.

102. It was decided by the Governor in Executive Council, on the 26th of August, that if cash were withdrawn from the Bank of Mauritius with the object of depleting their funds to a dangerous extent, the Government account with the Commercial Bank should forthwith be closed.

No action of the nature suggested has, however, been taken by the Commercial Bank or its clients.

103. On the 10th October the Bank of Mauritius asked for a further advance of Rs. 1,250,000 to meet the demands for cash to pay for the canes purchased from amall planters, and for advances to planters in anticipation of their sugar being purchased by His Majesty's Government. The Government offered to advance that sum on the same terms as the Rs. 750,000 previously asked for, but the bank has not yet found it necessary to avail itself of this offer.

104. In a despatch of 4th November, 1914, the Secretary of State enclosed a letter from the manager of the Bank of Mauritius containing a suggestion that, with a view to restricting the importation of coin from India to pay for the sugar bought for His Majesty's Government, the Colonial Government should, for a period not exceeding six months after the termination of the war, issue notes up to ten millions of rupees to the banks in Mauritius, against gold deposited by the banks with the Crown Agents in London at the rate of Rs. 15 per £1, or against rupees deposited in India to the credit of the Government of Mauritius for the amount of the face value of the notes issued, and that it should be permissible for the banks at any time during the currency of the issue to pay back notes in Mauritius and so release an equivalent amount of gold in London or rupees in India.

105. The Secretary of State suggested that power should be taken by legisla tion for the Currency Commissioners to issue notes in Mauritius against gold in London at a rate representing the normal cost of laying down rupees from India, and that the Commissioners should be empowered to issue gold from this stock in exchange for notes in Mauritius at a rate representing the normal cost of remitting to England by the shipment of rupees to India.

106. The directors of the Commercial Bank and the local directors of the Bank of Mauritius were asked for their views on this arrangement, and for their opinion as to the need for it. The directors of the Commercial Bank were of opinion that the amount of specie in circulation was sufficient for the requirements of the Colony and that for the moment there was no need for further importation. They did not anticipate that they would have occasion to make use of the arrangement suggested.

The local directors of the Bank of Mauritius stated that the bank had received three millions of rupees from India, and had ordered in addition four millions, the whole of which should arrive in Mauritius by the 4th February. They were not in immediate need of assistance, but they considered that the bank might ultimately require one million rupees in addition to the amount ordered.

107. The position was explained to the Secretary of State by telegram on 19th January, and it was added that if necessity were shown the Commissioners of Currency could be authorized to issue Rs. 2,000,000-the available stock of notes —against gold deposited in London on the terms suggested by him.

XIX.—Garrison of Mauritius.

108. Information was received on the 19th August that, at the urgent request of the War Office, the Secretary of State had agreed to the withdrawal of the British battalion, which would be replaced by a battalion of Indian troops.

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MAURITIUS.

109. On the 19th September the Senior Naval Officer, Simonstown, tele-

" "Elele graphed that the transport

was due to arrive at Mauritius on the 29th September to embark troops.

As the "Elele" required 2,500 tons of cargo as ballast, he suggested that Government sugar should be shipped to take advantage of the free freight for Government, and, failing that, private cargo at current rates.

On 20th September information was received from the Senior Naval Officer that the escort of the "Elele" would not reach Mauritius until the end of October 110 The R.I.M.S. "Hardinge" arrived at Mauritius on the 4th November escorting the transport "Varsova," which conveyed the 17th Infantry (Loyal Regiment) to replace the Essex Regiment in Mauritius.

The transport "Elele," with half a battalion of the Essex Regiment and some Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Engineers, and other details, left Mauritius for England on the 6th November.

XX. Dependencies (Rodriguez Defence Scheme).

111. A simple defence scheme for the protection of the cable station and cable landing place at Rodriguez by the European staff of the Eastern Telegraph With a view to avoid- Company was drawn up in accordance with instructions.

ing useless loss of life and property the superintendent of the Eastern Telegraph Company was instructed that he should not attempt to resist by force attack by a warship or armed merchant vessel, but that an attempt by a party from an unarmed merchant ship to land or to cut the cable near the shore should be opposed.

112. Information was received that the Lords of the Admiralty considered it possible that the dependencies of Mauritius might be used by German cruisers as supply bases, and the Government of Mauritius was instructed to report by tele- graph any negative or positive information on the subject from vessels visiting the dependencies. According to reports hitherto received, nothing abnormal has occurred at Farquhar Islands, Solomon Island, Eagle Island, and St. Brandon.

The "Emden" visited Diego Garcia on the 9th October and left the next day.

XXI.-Prize Court.

113. In accordance with instructions received, the Supreme Court has been rested with the jurisdiction of a Prize Court under Section 2, Sub-Section 2, of the Prize Court Act of 1894. The Procureur-General has been appointed Proper Officer of the Crown in substitution of His Majesty's Procurator-General.

Up to the present time no proceedings have been taken before the Prize Court.

XXII.-Miscellaneous.

114. On 5th October the Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope, reported by telegraph that he had been informed by the Adiniralty that the east coast of Africa north of the latitude of Delagoa Bay has been transferred to the East Indies station for all purposes.

115. On the 30th December the Secretary of State telegraphed that it was the intention of the Admiralty to construct immediately in Mauritius a radio- telegraphy station of 30 kilowatts power for naval purposes.

Correspondence has taken place regarding the local resources for building construction, the accommodation available for the construction, staff, and stores, and regarding other matters connected with the installation in which the Colonial Government can assist the Admiralty.

116. On the 14th January the Governor of Nyasaland inquired by telegram if the Government of Mauritius could receive and detain a few natives whom

it has been found necessary to deport from that Protectorate on account of political offences against peace and good order arising out of religious propaganda.

A reply was sent in the affirmative. It is proposed to intern the deportees in the quarantine station on Flat Island.

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