SASTRI AT SUVA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 190, 12 August 1922, Page 15

SASTRI AT SUVA.

_.ffo AGITATORS NEED APPLY." j I GOVERNMENTS THAT DO NOTHING. : SUVA. July 30. Suva had some passing excitement j •ce-terday when the Makura brouspht i the Right lion. V. S. Sastri to the King's j wharf. When he was told, after pratique ! liad been granted, that a deputation of jia countrymen awaited without to welcome him. he shrugged his shoulders j in a very resigned way. and said he sup- j nosed ho would have to see them. So : jc etime down the gangway to the wharf, where some hundreds of Indians, from all parts of India and of all caste:* and religions, eagerly awaited him. H. tras at once pounced on by the leader . »nd led into Xo. 1 shed, at the top c:. of which a small table and three e'.-i.: lad been placed. Sastri sat down, i . other chair? were occupied by the !!.•:• Badri Mahraj, M.L.C., and Mr. XV. M. Caldwell, 8.A.. chairman of the Suva delegation. There was no order. All j round Mr. Sastri crowded a polygiot j assemblage of a few whites, Indian-. ! Fijian?. Chinese, half castes, Solomon j boys. Samoans, and Tongans, etc. —a i »eritable revival of Babel—Sastri hrld bis head high and looked dignified, his cold eye looking impersonally round the ever-tightening circle. On the table was a handsome Indian brass tray, hold- , in<r a garland of roses, a bouquet or j roses and sundry brass bowla. full of j incense and spices. The flowers had j been liberally besprinkled with water to keep them fresh. Badri seized the garland and flopped it round Sastri's neck, tying it in front. X clinched round his neck above his collar, and the cool drops ran into a little cascade which slyly slipped down the hack of the illustrious visitor. Sastri perceptibly winced. A cool | shower before breakfast was irritating i to one's dignity, but he kept a stiff j upper lip and quietly managed to place j the floral torment on the safe side of | his collar. There was much cheering, which covered the guests' surreptitious manoeuvre. Then Mr. Caldwell read an address, in which the following grievances were vpntilated: 111 We desire equal rights; of citizenship and the abolition of all I ordinances which adversely affect j Indians. \'2) We require advice as to j best crops to grow and information as i to markets. (3) Cheaper methods of j obtaining land for cultivation and means j of transport. (4) Indian hospitals and medical education for Indian you'Uhs should be provided by Government. Mr. Sastri douched the enthusiasm which followed the reading of the address, by saying he did not come to enter into their local grievances—a recent commission had done that. His was a wider mission in connection with the status of Indians within the Empire. He thanked them for coming out so early to meet him. The spirit seemed to be knocked out of the crowd, who probably expected fireworks, and Sastri struggled through the crowd to get on board, to await the arrival of the A.D.C.. with whom he shortly afterwards left for Government House for breakfast, where he met the vice-regal household and the members of the Executive Council. Then he met 18 Indian delegates, representing all parts of Fiji, and discussed in the vernacular general conditions. At 10.30 a.m. lie faced a crowded audiences in the Town HaU, halfof Indians and half Europeans. The audience included his Excellency and Lady Rodwell, Acting Chief Justice, the Mayor (Councillor H. M. Scott, K.C.) in his robes of office, and Mrs. Scott, tlie city councillors, Colonial Secretary, and heads of the Departments, Sir Maynard and Lady Hedstrom, and other leading people. Mr. Sastri spoke for over 40 minutes, but broke no new Bro«nH. TT« rubbed it in a bit about the treatment of Indians in Crown Colonies, and left at noon by the mail boat.