THE INDIANS IN FIJI.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 155, 3 July 1922, Page 11

THE INDIANS IN FIJI.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—• Your correeponcent "From the East" has missed the main point mentioned by Mr. Fraser and criticised by mc, and* that was about the Indians' treatment in flji. It is clear from Mr. Fraser's letter tfaat he is of opinion that the Indian is well treated there, while 1 still hold that lie is a poor ill-used creature. Let us go back to the strike period of 1919. Whilst articles had risen 200 and 300 per cent in price, my countrymen had been receiving only 2/ as a daily wage, which was entirely insufficient to keep body and soul together. And this at a time when all growers of cane were doing unusually well. Three years after the war had begun, while prices had been rising in every direction, the indentured labourer himself was obtaining exactly the same wage as before the war. The average savings sent to India by indentured labourers, according to the Rev. Andrew?, did not amount to more than 6/ per head per annum. As Dr. Manilal said in writing of the unfortunate position of these people "Hundreds of Indians are yearning or panting to see a. ship to go back to India and leave this Hell on earth created by the greed and avarice of the English planters and their Fiji Government."—l am, etc.,

JELAL KALYAKJI IfATALI. [This correspondence is closed.—Ed.]

CONDENSED COBBESPOKSENCE

Jelal Kalyanji Xatali protests against such discrimination as wae shown in the case of his compatriot, Mr. Dandiker, -who was refused admission to a Christchurch restaurant. ! "Parole d'Honneur' , reiterates the ! statement that in the matter of the entrance to Pottere Park the council *ere bound by a promise to the donor.