CLAIMS OF INDIANS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 97, 17 January 1908, Page 7

CLAIMS OF INDIANS.

— fr . ■ AN EMPIRE PROBLEM. JSX-SOLDIERS' TOUCHING APPEAL. "LET IJS BE SHOT," or T*r,saturn—mess association—cqptbigiit. (Roc, Jan. 16, 1.12 a.m.) , Pretoria, January 16. One hundred and sixteen Indian ex-soldiors of Johannesburg have petitioned Lord Elgin (Secretary for tho Colonies) that thoy are holders of a military order entitling them to residence, and that the method of identification by fingor-print is contrary to thoir religious tenets] 1 If thoy cannot bo protected from tho degradation of imprisonment the deputation ask tho King to command that thoy bo shot on soma. South African battlefield, whoro they had been under'fire. ' ' TRANSVAAL'S GAOL CAMPAIGN. , MORE ORDERS TO QUIT. • ' Pretoria, January 15. A number of Indians at Pretoria, for failing to quit tho Transvaal by January 12,,. were sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Tho Chairman of tho Chineso Association at Johannesburg'and. an'lndian wero sentenced to two months' imprisonment for failing to quit. , For picketing—that is,- inducing Asiatics not to rogister 'under tho fingor-print, ordin- [ anco—ten Indians and eight Chinose shop assistants and storekeepers wore ordered to' quit by January 26. Thirty-two Indians at Johannesburg have been ordered to quit within a fortnight.The majority pleaded that they had resided in | tho Transvaal for from twelve to sixteen ' years, and have businesses there valued at thousands of pounds. > A ■ Brahmin pleaded that ho belonged' to tho highest class, which had representatives in the House of Commons and tho Council of India, and that compulsion was contrary to their principles. - WARNING FROM CALCUTTA. ■ LAJI'AT-RAI. Bombay, January 15. Lajpat-Rai, the former oxilo, speaking at a meeting at Calcutta, announced his intention to publish a reply to tho charges of tho Secrotary for India (Mr'. John Morloy). j He urged patriots to unito against a common cnomy, and to fight an unyielding battle for bettermont of the condition of India.' There was at present a prospect of political slavery. Surendra Natli Banerjee, a prominent native journalist, .who presided at tho meeting, described, the deportation of Lajpat-Rai as an insult to tho whole country.