SOUTH AFRICA

Shannon News, 25 June 1926, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICA

THE ASIATIC PROBLEM.

(By Frederick Stubbs, P.R.G.S.)

The South African Government's Indian Bill, introduced in the latter part of last year (1925) and bitterly resented in India, suggests u brief review of the whole Asiatic problem, affecting as it does not only South Africa, but also East Africa Australia, New Zealand, and Canatu The magnitude of the problem is

shown by the tact that while in Canada there are only 12,000 Asiatics to » 000,000 Europeans; in Australia 300,000 Asiatics to 5.800.000 Europeans; in New Zealand 600 Asiatics to 1,400,000 Europeans; in South Africa there are 166,000 Asiatics to 1,500,000 Europeans, with 6,000,000 natives. And what make the problem more difficult of solution is that of the 162,000 Indians, 103,000 _ were born within the Union. The immigration began in 1860 when large numbers of Indians were introduced chiefly from Madras, in order to work the sugar plantations, and the majority of the present day Indians are descended from these. As time went on, the white races in South Africa realised how serious a mistake they had made. The Indians that had been introduced with the assistance of the Natal Government, rapidly increased, and those still in India claimed as British subjects the right of entrance. Both geographically and climatically Africa offered a splendid, field for Asiatic expansion. The future of South Africa as a whole for the white races was threatened; tney would in time be outworked and undersold by the Asiatics, and tne struggles and sacrifices and labours or the past century would go for nothing Then came repressive .and exclusive legislation. The reader will recall tne fierce struggle between the Government and Mr. Gandhi, who then represented the Indian population. Eventually the Government won, Gandhi was deported, and to-day every Asiatic is a prohibited immigrant. But what of those who had been invited and were brought over? What of those who were South African born? How could these be deported? Here certainlyy, the Indians had reason on their" side. The Present Position.

The present position'that though no more immigrants are admitted the Indians are increasing. both in numbers and wealth . Their birth rate is 56 per thousand as against 22 per thousand of Europeans. In Duroan (as in the Transvaal also) the Indians own about £1,000,000 worth of rateable property, and out of 270 tailors in the city only 50 are white, while the Indians do nearly half the furniture making and printing. Some Indians employ white women. Large

numbers are, of course, coolies, labourers, domestic servants, and to these the European races have no objection. The Indian labourer is an exceedingly useful man in the sugar plantations and in the factories and

workshops. He is not as powerfully built as the Bantu, but he is more willing to work. Many Indians, however are not content to be labourers; they become artisans .storekeepers, clerks, and thus enter into direct competition with the white man, and, owing to their simplier and cheaper

mode of living, are able in many cases to drive him out. Several thousands are engaged in the tailoring, furniture-making and printing trades, and I believe are steady and reliable—but they undersell the white man. In the small towns and suburbs of Natal, the retail grocery and provision is almost monopolised by the Indian. He works for less money, sells more cheaply is more willing to meet the requirements of the natives, has more patience with them. In these towns a commercial traveller can do no business until he has given the Indian an assessed amount towards the upkeep of the Mosque. Hundreds of Indian are also engaged as hawkers and market gardeners. Position in Natal. The province most effected is Natal Out of the 162.000 -Indian in the Union, 142,000 live in that State, as against 140,000 Europeans. In Durban alone there are 30,000, and, as I have shown, they are increasing rapidly. One cannot be surprised therefore that the people of Natal fear that unless strong measures are adopted to check. it, the Indian increase in numbers and wealth, in economic and political influence, will result in conditions that would Decome intolerabe to white men. Asiatics by their greater industry, frugaity and lower standard of conirort, would drive white labour off the field.

The Solution. Is the European type of civilisation to be preserved and how? Various measures are being urged. One xs that a minimum wage should be enacted, it being believed that wages being equal the employer would choose the white man. But this would only affect the labouring and artisan classes. Others suggest that the Indian should be confined to certain areas, or be compelled to adopt European standards of living; that he should be confined to unskilled labour that Europeans should refuse to deal at Indian stores; that traders' licenses should be withheld, etc. All these measures have been advocated; some of them it is obvious would be impossible of enforcement. Those that are possible, it seems to me as a sympathetic observer, are the following: 1. Except in certain restricted areas, the Asiatic might be pre- | vented from acquiring real property. 2. While you cannot compel the Asiatic to dress and feed as an

Englishman does, it would be pos

sible to enforce certain sanitary rules, minimum space, etc. 3. If restricted to manual labour, there is no doubt that the most objectionable class of Indians, the storekeepers and money-lenders, would voluntarily leave the county « L 4. Those convicted in the Courts for serious offences might be deported.

The Government already gives a free passage and £lO per head to those who agree to repatriate themselves, but this measure is both costly and ineffective. If in addition to the repatriation bonus, such measures as above were adopted, at seems to me the Asiatic problem might be solved without any great hardship to the Asiatic. The poorer men, the coolies, would remain; the wealthier classes would return to India.