Nairac – The Democrat

Mauritius Times – 70 Years

Sir Georges Edouard Nairac will be remembered in Mauritian history for his political activities in the earlier part of his career, when he was at the forefront of progressive movements

 By D. NAPAL

Sir Georges Edouard Nairac, who passed away a few days ago, at the ripe old age of 84, had a brilliant professional career, ending up with his occupation of the much-coveted post of Procureur General and of Chief Judge. Throughout his long and fruitful life, what captures the attention of students of our history is the role he played in politics between 1908 and 1925.

Throughout his long and fruitful life, what captures the attention of students of our history is the role Sir Georges Edouard Nairac played in politics between 1908 and 1925. Pic – Galerie de peinture mauricienne-Potomitan

Sir Georges Edouard Nairac started his political career by his close association with the militant members of the Action Libérale, the political party which became the terror of the Conservatives in the early years of the present century. This democratic party was born of the agitation made by Rene Merandon, Dr Eugene Laurent, Anatole de Boucherville and other left-wing personalities of the day (if I am allowed to use this term as a democratic party in the present sense of the term did not exist then) to bring in a Royal Commission of Enquiry to inquire into the finances of the country.

The planters of the colony, through the unofficial members of the Legislative Council, applied to the Secretary of State for a loan to help them to tide over their financial difficulties. Lord Elgin, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, stated that the information before him did not justify a loan. He advised that as a preliminary to a loan, a Royal Commission should enquire into the finances and administrative conditions of the Colony. The planters would not hear of a Royal Commission. The experience gained by the Royal Commission of 1872 was still fresh in their memory. That Commission had laid bare many of the sores in the relations between agricultural employers and employees. The planters, of course, would not welcome the idea of any such Royal Commission Enquiry. The arch-conservative of these days, Henry Leclezio (later Sir) moved in Council that the Council did not feel justified in inviting the appointment of a Commission.

It was in these circumstances that an island-wide campaign in favour of a Royal Commission of enquiry as a preliminary to obtaining a loan from Great Britain was made by the prominent members of the Action Libérale. Sir Georges Edouard Nairac played a prominent part in this campaign. While deponing before the Royal Commission of 1909, Nairac made some very original and startling suggestions — for example the reduction of the Governor’s salary, the selling of part of Reduit Gardens, and reduction in the number of judges and magistrates. He advocated for the establishment of a proportional and progressive income tax, which would initially be a “taxe de superposition” and gradually evolve into a “taxe de remplacement”. He also pronounced himself in favour of the institution of an agricultural bank — a suggestion also made by Manilal M. Doctor and others who deponed before the Commission. One of the reasons which he put forward while urging the necessity of an Agricultural Bank was that such a bank would prove helpful to the small planters. Our own times have fully justified his stand.

There was a split in the Action Libérale on the question of retrocession of the island to France, an idea born after World War I. The election of 1921 was fought on the retrocession issue. In Port Louis the pro-retrocession candidates were Dr Edgar Laurent and Dr Maurice Cure. J. E. Nairac and J. Tranquille were the anti-retrocession candidates who opposed and beat them. The next year a movement for the revision of the constitution was started. Strangely enough, the movement was started by people outside the council. J.E. Nairac lent his support to the movement, pledged himself to the revision of the constitution and in 1925 brought in council a motion urging representative government — a form of government established by the constitutional changes of 1948.

Nairac’s motion was “to ensure a more extensive representation of the community and give it a larger share in the management of the affairs of this Colony.”

I believe that Sir Georges Edouard Nairac will be remembered in Mauritian history for his political activities in the earlier part of his career, when he was at the forefront of progressive movements.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 14 March 2025