LIFE IN MAURITIUS.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19452, 17 December 1934, Page 10

LIFE IN MAURITIUS.

PROBLEM OF POPULATION.

ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB. Some interesting aspects of the history of Mauritius and life in this British possession were discussed by the Bishop of Waikato in addressing the Hamilton Rotary Club at ils weekly ’luncheon meeting in the Wattle Tea Rooms to-day. • Traversing the history of the colony the speaker said Mauritius was discovered by the’Dutch, but it was not until some years later that it was actually settled by the French. The island was handed over to Britain by the French in 1810 ton condition that the laws, religion, and customs of the people were left undisturbed for a ■hundred years-. Britain had governed Mauritius since .1810, and although there had been occasional agitations for the restoration of French rule nothing had come of them. The principal avenue of employment on the island was sugar , growing, which provided work for a large number of the inhabitants. The population numbered 375,000, including about 250,000 Indians, who were the descendants of -coolies indentured about the middle of last century. One of the problems of the island, and one which applied to other countries, was what was to be done with the surplus population in a few years’ time.

< The Government. Referring to the government of Mauritius the speaker said the island was controlled by a Governor and council. The policy of the Government was to encourage the inhabitants of the- island to take up the principal occupations in the colony rather than bring out people from England for these positions. When he left in 1926 the Ministers of Education and Immigration were Indians- One • striking peculiarity of Mauritius was the fact that the ministers of religion were paid by the Government.

At the conclusion of his address the speaker was accorded a vote of thanks, moved by the president, Mr J. Prentice.