INDIAN IMMIGRATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 126, 28 May 1917, Page 7

INDIAN IMMIGRATION.

A PROBLEM OF THE FUTURE. ' An announcement of considerable importance to Fiji appears in the cables today, namely that (Mr. Auscn Chamberlain (Secretary of State for India) has announced "that the system of indentured emigration from India would not be revised." There has been agitation in India, especially in Madras lTesidency, against Indians being sent away under terms of indenture for years to British Crown colonies. in a climate like Fiji it is imperative that coloured labour should be available for most manual work. The problem of the past has been to provide cheap coloured labour, but it would seem as if in the future the trouble will be to keep up the supply. This is a matter that has a reflex action on Australia and New Zealand, as Indian labour is used in the production of sugar, of which large quantities are sent to Auckland to be refined at Chelsea. The Viceroy of India, in his speech to the Imperial Legislative Council, Teferred to a notice of motion given for leave to introduce a bill to abolish entirely the system of emigration under indenture to labour. He said: "I have no hesitation in teiling the Council that as soon as the necessary preliminary can be got through, the Government of India will themselves undertake whatever legislation may be required in a wholly sympathetic spirit-" Itercrring to the moral evils, the Viceroy promised to endeavour to see whether in the meantime some amendment of the sex ratio prevailing amongst emigrants could not be devised.

At n meeting of residents of 'Madras early this year the following resolution was passed:—"That, this meeting, being convinced tho continuation of tho recruitment of labour in India is demoralising and dishonouring, desires to convey earnest appeals to tho Government to take immediate steps to terminate the system of indenture and prohibit recruitment to the Crown colonies and Surinam." One speaker (Rev. 0. F. Andrews) said it was "an insult to our manhood, our womanhood, and our childhood." The Bishop of Madras, wlio presided, remarked that there was no excuse for the continuation of the system any longer. A notification was subsequently made that. owing to ships having boon taken over by tho War Department, it was unlikely that further emigration from India of indentured labour would be possible until after the war. and as a result recruitment had been suspended. That there is another side to the question is pointed out by "Tho Statesman." to the effect that at the recent elections to the legislature in British Guiana no fewer than live East Indians offered themselves as candidates, and one was elected. That was claimed to be significant evidence of tho position onjoyed in that colony by some at least, of the 1:1(1.000 Fast Indians resident there. To be elected, a candidate must own or possess under lease for a term of 21 years. SO acres of land, or house aud property to the value of T.oOO dollars. There arc 4.01 X) registered voters, and thr- man who has the right to the franchise must own throe acres of land in cultivation. o r a house of an annual rental of _ _0. The article puds: "They are all products of the much criticised system of importation under indenture, which has been practised in British Guiana almost continuously since 184."). It would ho interesting to heai of instances in which Indians of tho coolie class who have continued to reside in their own country have reached a standard of comfort and influence remotely comparable to that which has Attended the labours of their follows in this British colony in South America."