§ MR. CAINEasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, If it is true, as stated in an advertisement in the "Mercantile Record and Commercial Gazette" of March 21st, published at Port Louis, Mauritius, that the Colonial Secretary had in a letter dated February 5th last, authorised the charge of a fee of two cents of a rupee on all bags of grain, cases, casks and bales of goods sold by all Hindoo Merchants for the maintenance of their church situated at the place called Pont Nicolay, Port Louis; whether he will lay a Copy of that letter upon the Table; and, whether this step has been taken with his approval; and, if not, whether he will cancel the authorisation.
MR. GRANT DUFFSir, some time ago the Hindoos, who are numerous in Mauritius, petitioned the Lieutenant Governor of the Island for aid from the public funds for the maintenance of 803 their religion, or if that were out of the question, for power to do as the Mahomedans did—that is, to levy a small percentage on their trading transactions for its maintenance. As the petitioners had, of course, the most absolute right to tax themselves for the maintenance of their religion without asking his or anybody's leave, the Lieutenant Governor directed them to be informed that he could not promise them ally aid from the public funds; but that they were perfectly free to follow the example of the Mahomedans, and to devote to the purposes of their religion any voluntary tax or percentage upon their trading transactions which they might think proper to levy among themselves. Now that the circumstances are explained, I need hardly add that the Secretary of State for the Colonies sees no reason to interfere with the voluntary arrangement made by the Hindoos for the maintenance of their religion.