MONEY-LENDERS OF INDIA

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 181, 2 May 1925, Page 18

MONEY-LENDERS OF INDIA

They are sons of Anak, all of them stand six feet or over, and they carry sticks as high as themselves. They are muscular and Apiite fearless. They wear bright velvet waistcoats beneath long heavy coats and have large clogshaped shoes with spiky, turned up toes. Tbev are Kabulis—the money-lenders of India. By twos and threes they have drifted down to the plains from their far-away mountain countrv, and now in Calcutta alone the colony numbers thousands. The native of India is always wanting monev. He has a daughter to get off his hands; money is necessary with which to procure a husband. He has borrowed from a friend and must repay or disgrace threatens him. The only certain lender is the Kabuli, so, with the knowledge that all other channels are closed to him, the humble clerk, the small native shopkeeper, the operative in the mill, alike fall easy victims to the great black spider. A sum of Rs. 30 is required ; only too easily is it obtained by the giving of a piece of paper promising to pay Rs. 50 on demand, and in the meanwhile to. pav interest at the rate of 2 annas In the rupee per month. The first month’s Interest Is deducted in advance from

the capital lent, and the balance paid over to the unfortunate borrower. The first of the following month sees the Kabuli waiting outside the office or mill where his victim works. With him are others of his tribe, for they hunt in couples even if no other clients are within. From the man’s meagre wages a payment must be made on the first of each month when wages arc drawn, and woe betide anv defaulter! 'Hie Kabulis live together and -.belter themselves and their wealth behind a strong trade union. 1 licy meet each week in some sheltered spot and discuss their clients. The enemy of one is the enemv of all, and woe betide any defaulter who fails to pay interest due. A group of Kabulis visit and threaten him;''if this fails and he does not pay up when his wages are received, a deputation of Kabulis hang around his house or at the gates of the mill, and, at a convenient opportunity, attack him with their long sticks. _ Monev-lending in India is. widespread, a hopeless disease for which no cure lias vet been found. The Kabuli is. at the bottom of all the trouble. Banish him from British India, and the bene.it to the countrv would be incalculable. Allow him to remain and commercial integrity will go from bad to worse. Bv A. Claude Brown, in the “Daily Mail.”