ASIATICS IN THE TRANSVAAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 36, 1 February 1908, Page 2

ASIATICS IN THE TRANSVAAL.

OBNOXIOUS TRANSVAAL ' PROVISION WITHDRAWN: London, January 30. The Standard's Johannesburg correspondent says signatures arc to supersede fingerprints in the registration of Indians in the Transvaal. Gluiidi, the leader of the agitation against registration, and other Indians will be released front prison. THE LEGISLATIVE'S CLIMB-DOWN. BIG CONCESSION TO INDIANS.

Received 31st, 9.40 p.m. Pretoria, January 31. Air. Smuts has accepted the assurance of the leaders of the Asiatics that they will make voluntary registration ciFective. I The sentences of all in prison havo I been remitted. The Jinger-print regulation has been dispensed with in the ca.se of all educated Asiatics and others who can be identilied, Mr. Smuts allows all Indians entitled to register the opportunity to register during the next three months. No information . offending tlie religious susceptibilities of the Asiatics will be asked for.

An interesting light is thrown upon the trouble in the Transvaal in connecion with the Indians by a former South African official now in Auckland. Speaking to a Herald reporter, this gentleman declared that the trouble was much more .serious than persons who had not the local knowledge would imagine from the cablegrams. Mr. Ghandi, a nativs banister who had been sentenced to imprisonment for having defied the law» was a graduate of an English University, and a very cultured man. About twelve years ago Mr. Ghandi was induce ed to go from India to Natal to look after the interests of the Indians in that Icolony, at the foe o| £4OO per annum. At that time his duties lay in Natal, where there were thousands of Indians, while there were very few in the Transvaal. During the Boer war a great number of Indians were induced to enter the Transvaal by the military authorities, and especially by the. officers connected with the Remount Department, as many of the Indians were trained cavalrymen. _ Others were engaged in connection with the asmbulance corps and as water carriers. The Indians had not much desire to leave Natal—in fact, the official had some difficulty in securing them—but on being given a guarantee that they would be free to remain after a month'B work —the time the Conference was expected to last—they agreed to go. Since then) permission had been given the Indians to remain in the Transvaal on the same footing as other people. "I think the 1 attitude taken up by the Transvaal Government is iniquitous," the official con* tinued. "At the present moment there ' is much talk about amalgamating the ' whole of the British colonies in South ! Africa and forming a federation. This 1 action of the Transvaal Government will ; greatly improve the movement and will raise a very serious movement in South 1 Africa. The last word has not been 5 written or spoken on this subject," said ■ the official. 'lt is only the beginning, and I think they will have to climb' down. As long aB ve have control ol - India we have to give these people a i certain amount of license. If we can- ' not, then we should throw up India. At 3 any rate, with the spread of education 1 in" the colonies, they will assert their • rights, and time alone can tell what will 3 happen." The climbing-down process • is now, it would seem, taking place with a a vengeance.