206 Timehri. 



NOTE BY MR. NUNAN, AFTER FIRST MEETING OF SUB-COMMITTEE. 



The Immigration Agent General thinks £35 per " family " of two 

 would be nearer the amount of cost. (In the case of Chinese we shall 

 have the advantage of the Panama Canal after the current year). He 

 also thinks that there may be difficulty in carrying on two systems of 

 indenture with different periods, viz., live years and back passage for the 

 old system, three without back passage but with land grant for the 

 supplementary and temporary system. He thinks a scheme based upon 

 the actual indent of the proprietors otters more advantages, for instance 

 an agreed indent and a free importation of twice as many as are indented 

 for on the old system. 



Hon. A. P. Sherlock further thinks 4,000 ■families" or 8,000 adults 

 a year might be more than the estates could handle, mentioning hospital 

 and housing requirements. Both suggest 5,000 adults a year, the sexes 

 being about equal in numbers. 



These are details which only the Immigration Department and the 

 planters can work out. The main point is the sum to be asked for and 

 the method of application. This must be a fixed sum for the specific 

 purpose of coast labour and colonization, to avoid subsequent complaints 

 of unfair application and to enable the situation to be faced as a whole- 

 The object is to provide indentured labour for the coastlands to replace 

 any special drawing away of labour entailed by railway and development 

 in the far interior. The further aim is to secure a suitable population 

 for the coastlands which ought to be prepared for colonists by irrigation 

 and drainage under Government schemes. 



LATER. 



The Scheme actually recommended by the Sub-Committee adopts 

 the principle and the periods set out above but allocates £150.000 

 out of the Development Loan of | million stg. to the Railway 

 Loan for settlement on the lands in the interior, thereby supplementing 

 His Excellency's proposal of £50,000 for those lands. £600,000 remains 

 earmarked for the Coast labour and colonization. The figures given 

 above will have to be re-adjusted accordingly making payments on the 

 Coast development loan begin at £26,523 in the fourth year and 

 increasing to £21,875, the Railway payments to begin after the 

 sixth year. The later figures after the twelfth year will have to be 

 correspondingly adjusted. The total for both loans will not be much 

 different from our present estimate. Any deficit on working expenses is 

 not contemplated after fifth year from opening of railway. As against 

 expenditure we shall be able tc reckon increased population on coast and 

 interior savannah, general development and railway connection Avith 

 Brazil. 



