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 ] 84 THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — MAURITIUS

MAURITIUS.

Constitution and Government.

Mauritius, acquired by conquest in 1810, was formally ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris of 1814. Under Letters Patent of 1885, 1901, 1904, and 1912, partially representative institutions have been estab- lished. The government of the Colony, with its dependencies, Rodrigues, Diego Garcia, &c., is vested in a Governor, aided by an Executive Council, consisting of the officer in command of His Majesty's troops, the Colonial Secretary, the Procureur-General, the Receiver-General, and of such other persons holding office in the service of the Government of the Colony as the Governor, through instructious from the Secretary of State, may from time to time appoint. There is also a Council of Government, consisting of the Governor and twenty-seven members, ten being elected under a moderate franchise, eight ex-officio, and nine nominated by the Governor. The official councillors comprise the four Executive members, the Collector of Customs, the Protector of Immigrants, the Director of Public Works and Surveys, and the Director of the Medical and Health Department.

Governor of Mauritius. — Major John Robert Chancellor, C.M.G,, D.S.O., R.E., salary, Rs. 50,000 (one Rupee = \s. ^d.).

Area, Population, &c.

Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, 500 miles east of Madagascar, has an area of about 720 square miles. According to the census of 1911, the population of the island, including Dependencies (6,690), Military (1,602), was 377,083, consisting of: —

General population ... ... ... 115,146

Indian ,, 258,251

Chinese „ 3,686

Total 377,083

Birth-rate (exclusive of Indians) in 1911, 35*6, Indian birth-rate, 41 '1 per thousand; death-rate (exclusive of Indians) in 1911, 31 "4, Indian death-rate, 33'5 per thousand. Immigrants in 1911, nil; emigrants, 596. Population of Port Louis, the capital, 50,060 (1911) with its suburbs.

In 1911 there were 122,424 Roman Catholics, 6,946 Protestants. State, aid is granted to both Churches, amounting in 1910-11 to 10, 180Z. ; the Indians are mostly Hindus.

The geeater part of Port Louis has in recent years passed from European to Indian or Chinese hands. In 1911 land to the value of Rs. 1,749,674 (116,6^5/.) was purchased by Indians.

Primary education is gratuitous but not compulsory. At the end of 1911, there were 60 Government and 88 aided schools. Average at- tendance at Government schools, 1911, 6,030 (9,421 on roll) ; at State-aided schools, 7,972 (11,589 on roll, of whom more than three-fourths in Roman Catholic schools). For secondary education there is a Royal College (witq many scholarships and exhibitions) and its 2 schools with altogether (1911) 365 pupils, and 13 associated schools. There are 23 girls' schools affiliated to the Royal College in connection with the higher education of girls. The total Government expenditure in 1910-11 on education was Rs. 594,657 (39,644Z. ).

The total number of convictions at the inferior courts in 1911 was 16,297 and at the Supreme Court 51.