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who, at its urgent solicitation, put their capital into the 

 soil perishing, while the labour that could save it, and 

 which they are quite willing to pay for, is streaming out 

 of the country, without stretching out a finger to help 

 them. 



" The Planters asked the Government of Bengal, to do 

 nothing for the provinces of Assam and Cachar, that the 

 Governments of France, Denmark, and those of Her 

 Majesty's Colonies who import coolies, do not consider it 

 their bounden duty to do for the Colonies for which they 

 require labour. They asked the Government of Bengal 

 to establish an immigration agency, with the necessary 

 machinery of a Protectorate, Medical Examiner, &c., all 

 the expenses of which they expressed their perfect willing- 

 ness to pay. Their request was refused; and by this 

 refusal, I think the interests, not only of the planters, but 

 the interests of the Government, the Country, and the 

 People, were sacrificed. The planters, therefore, in my 

 humble judgment at least, have a just ground for complaint. 

 Had what they required been conceded at the outset, the 

 country would have been spared the calamities the Immi- 

 gration Committee's report disclosed, and none of the 

 complications which have since retarded the progress of 

 the tea districts, and taken up so much of the valuable 

 time of the Supreme Government would have arisen. 



" I have visited the emigration agency for Mauritius 

 with its efficient superintendent Dr. Payne, and I can bear 

 testimony to the excellency of the arrangements for the 

 comfort, cleanliness, and health of the coolies; the duties 

 of the Protectorate, too, are most conscientiously and well 

 performed ; and when a little supervision, care, and atten- 

 tion on the part of Government can ensure such 

 results, I cannot understand why we should hear of such 

 depots as that of Thakoor Lalla, in Bengal. Were the 

 several Local Governments of India now, to take more 

 kindly to the plan adopted by foreign and colonial Govern- 



