ASIATIC PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 7

ASIATIC PROBLEM.

0 —- INDIGNANT BRITISH INDIANS. Protest against the immigration act. "A BARBAROUS AND SAVAGE MEASURE." BT TELEGRAPH —I'UESS ASSOCIATION—COrTMOIIT. (Roc. Dec. 29, 4.30. p.m.) Capetown, Decembor 28. Mr. Gandhi, an Indian barrister, at an onthusiastio mass mooting of British Indians on tho Rand, declared that Lord Elgin's action in sanctioning tho Immigration Act had unduly strained Indian loyalty, for it was a barbarous and savago measure, although passed by ail avowedly Christian Government. Mr. Gandhi and eight compatriots, who were prosecuted for failing to register under, tho Act, have boon released on. parole. Many Indian.? have been arrosted elsewhere in the Transvaal. (Rec. Dec. 29, 6.32 p.m.) r London, December 29. , "Tho Times" says tho Imperial Assent to 'the Immigration Restriction Act enables the Transvaal, to enforce Asiatic registration by deporting passive resisters. "Tho Times" rocommends that the Imperial Secretarial should organiso a Commission representing the Empire to investigate tho Asiatic problem, and to mako plain tho mutual difficulties. This course might possibly show sorao of our most exclusive Colonies that it is impossible entirely to bang tho door against tho growing tido of the population of tho East. It might possibly also convinco us that tho unrestrained immigration of Asiatics would bo fatal to our civilisation and race. Certain parts of the ' Empiro most suited to Orientals, and least suited to our habits, might bo specially reserved for Oriental immigration. ' ' • \The British Indians liavo been openly defying tlio Registration Law, and aro supported ,by their compatriots in the other Colonies. Merchants stato.that they have cancelled oversea orders and aro reducing their stocks in viow of the possibility of their being obiiped to leave the country as they are not prepared to comply with tho law. The "passive resistance" 'f British Jwltan* to the Registration Ordinance led to the publication in the Transvaal "Gazette" of a Government notice to the effect that after November 30 all Indians over 18 found without a registration certificate will bo liable to arrest and'deportation, and that after 1/cci"..bor 31 no trading license will bo issued by the Government or municipalities unless a registration certificate is produced.