THE HINDOO ARRIVALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1919, Page 6

THE HINDOO ARRIVALS.

(Prom Our Own Correspondent); Wellington, May 9. Some figures provided by the Minister for Internal Affairs show that the number of Hindus in New Zealand increased from ICS in October, 191-6, to 450 in March of this year. The increase is large enough to attract attention. The figures may not be exact and they do not take count of half-castes. It appears that the majority of the recently arrived Hindus came from Fiji. The term Hindu is used rather looselyj since many of the men are stated to belong to other Indian nationalities. The essential point, however, is that they are colored people with a comparatively low standard of living. They are intelligent and industrious and "their competition is being felt in various lines. They have practically captured the street sale of fruit in Wellington and they have a big hold on the bottle trade. These Indian immigrants come to New Zealand in most cases via Fiji. They reach the islands as indentured laborers. There they save enough money to pay for passages to New Zealand. They are not subject to the poll tax here and they have no difficulty in passing the usual education test. Their standard of intelligence is distinctly high, the customs officers report. They are British citizens and cannot Ibe treated as aliens. But on the other hand it does not appear that they are desirable immigrants from the New Zealand point of view.