THE COLOURED INVASION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2201, 14 July 1914, Page 6

THE COLOURED INVASION.

Sir, —We have seen by the cablegrams that the natives of India have made an organised attempt to land in ..British Columbia. The cables now announce, and Indian papers to.hand confirm, that a ship load of natives is leaving Calcutta for Vancouver. These men - are ' sailing direct from an Indian port to their destination. The'authorities, therefore, under the present -. immigration laws, will be compelled to admit them. The only chance of preventing this invasion would be by rapidly, passing ah enactment that would give tie authorities the necessary' power to refuse admission. It is questionable in the event of such an Act being passed whether it would be legal to prevent the landing of this party, which has left an Indian port under the present regulations. ■ ' The natives of India have already fought t'he legality of the laws in South. Africa, and it cannot be doubted that the present attempt in North America has been intentionally and systematic-, ally organised to test the law and to force the hand's of the authorities in India. ' . " The native politicians of India have without' doubt engineered these attempts. Which colony 'is to be invaded next?' The Indian native papers during the last four or five years have been urging on this policy, and proclaiming the equal rights of tho natives of India with tlioso of the white subjects of tho King as British subjects. But Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, are self-governing members of the Empire, while India is not even a Crown colony, but rather a protectorate, held by the sword. Whatever tho natives of India may ■claim, no member of these.colonies will, or ever can,' admit that tlie native is a British subject in the true sense of the word. If the-daughter nations of the Empire once grant, that the native of India is a British subject, and on an equhlit.v with the white man, then all the colonies will be overrun by the Asiatic We are certain that the' black an.d yellow races irs not socially or econom-

ically desirable in a whito country. But cm 1 laws are not strong enough to keep them out. It is therefore necossary that we should pass such an enactment as will prevent their admissiou to our shores. Individual action 'by each colony will bo of little use. All the. colonies' should ' combino to keep the Asiatic out and to force the hand of the English Government to back the colonies up. Strong measures are required, and the time for action is now. 'i'ho longer you wait the more it will cost in money and men'. No -weak policy will do. Therefore, until combined action with the other colonicf, coi be taken this Dominion should act for her own protection. The following suggestion are offered: — 1. All Asiatics in this country should be bought out of their businesses and repatriated at Government expense. 2. No Asiatic shall in future be allowed to land in New Zealand, except men of the highest educational classes and merchantsj who may be allowed to visit the country for six months, on producing a _passport, and on depositing a sum of £500 to be returned on their departure from the Dominion. The present educational- test is useless. There are tens of thousands of natives in India who can read, write, and keep accounts in English, for whioh they are\paid eight to fifteen shillings ■ a month. There are hundreds of' thousands who could pass the educational tests, and the schools .are turning out thousands every year;' An act such as suggested should not prevent ships with coloured crews trading to ports iri.tho Dominion. When the Asiatics and negroes now in New Zealand have been repatriated, it will be impossible for a coloured man to deceit without -being very soon' caught. Whereas, while there are any domiciled in the country it is always difficult'to identify a runaway..' V I trust this subjact will be .thoroughly lopke'd into.' i have suggested. only one'cbursc. There-may be a. better one. There are -many pros' and cons to : considered before definite steps' should be taken.. Not the least, of'.theses is the possibility_ of .'creating a great upheaval.'in India or a' war with China and Japan. A. revolution iii India might cost a few; thousand lives. Oil the other hand, the ' admission of coloured races' into the Australasian States-will.inevitably.ca,use suffering to millions in-the future!—l am,: fete.",;* ■ H.F.