COLOUR BAN

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 47, 24 August 1931, Page 7

COLOUR BAN

AN INDIAN'S COMPLAINT

TOUR OF HUMILIATION

(From "The Post's" Representative.) ■ LONDON, ISth June.

•Ah Indian correspondent, Mr. T. P. '■Davir, writes' to the "Manchester Guardian" describing his humiliating experiences on i a tour-of the Dominions. -,-.'.

"Entering into Australia last February purely . on a- temporary visit (he writes), I was examined and cross-ex-amined by the immigration authorities at Brisbane; my porFof entry, and had to; answer all sorts of unnecessary and annoying questions, including a query whether I had Bolshevik sympathies— as if every, Indian at sight was to be taken to bo a Bolshevik suspect—While my fellow-passengers from other parts of ;th© British Empire were passed almost without any questions on their producing their passports, I had to undergo this despite my British; passport issued in London and my assurance that I should" not care to live permanently in Australia in contravention-of the bar against the entry of, Asiatics, even if I was paid to,do!so. »■■

. "Entering into New Zealand, again •only as a tourist, I had, besides'filling the usual landing-form, to make a declaration, on pathl to obey the laws of the country—as if -this ;was not understood—and to make a deposit of £10, from both-of which all white British subjects.' and even' American citizens are exempt. , - . : ""While in New Zealand,' I tried to book my passage to South Africa, but •was .definitely' informed by the agents of the shipping company that they had instructions.not. to book any Indians on:> their ships.- Returning' tor- Sydney; however, I managed to book my passage^ to South Africa, intending io make a tout .through that country to Egypt and thence retprn home to India."

• Mr.- Davir was not allowed to land in Bouth Africa and had to continue to London. • . ■- . ■■■■

"I have, travelled in various parts of the-world (says Mr. Davir), and I can-assure you rarely have I known such-, opposition and disgraceful invidious .^distinction made against; my compatriots as in' the colonies and Dominions of. the British Empire. It is galling .'.humiliation such as I have been ,thronghj s created by narrow-minded raeisl. prejudice and vulgar snobbery, thattengenders and fosters feelings of national bitterness, which, while they exist, make all talk of the wonted 'Commonwealth of Free Nations' a hypocritical sham:.; ■ ■ .

' "In these circumstances, is it at all surprising that: a large-section of my compatriots should be-prcpared to ■face.•::. all necessary sacrifices in the struggle to shake themselves free of your .'Glorious Empire,' so' that they could, in all fairness and in keeping with their sense of national self-respect »nd dignity, legislate to retaliate to the full and pay back'in their own coin all those countries that think fit to hurl insult and indignity at India?"