Dr. RUTHERFORDasked the Under-Secretary for India, whether he is aware that Mahomedan British-Indians imprisoned for non-compliance with the Transvaal Registration Law were refused facilities for observing the religious fast of Ramazan; and whether the Secretary of State will make representations to the Government of the Transvaal that such conduct is exciting great indignation among His Majesty's subjects in India, as expressed in public meetings and otherwise?
The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Colonel Seely) repliedWhen the attention of the Secretary of State was called to this matter he consulted the Secretary of State, for India and found that the Transvaal Government, who were under the impression that no precedent existed for conceding 346 the request of the Mahomedan prisoners, were wrongly advised as a special arrangement for enabling Mahomedan prisoners to keep the fast exists in the Punjab, though not, it would seem, in India generally. The attention of the Transvaal Government was at once called to the Punjab practice, but they were unwilling to introduce a different practice in the Transvaal from that of the Cape, which has a larger Mahomedan population, namely, over 15,000, than any other South African Colony, and where no notice of the fast is taken in the penal institutions.
§ Mr. JOHN ROBERTSONasked whether any settlement has been arrived at of the Transvaal - Indian question, or whether terms of imprisonment with hard labour are still being meted out to the Indian passive resisters for non-compliance with the Registration Law; whether the number of the Indians left in the Transvaal is about 6,000 out of a population of 13,000 in the pre-war period; and whether he is aware of the feeling aroused in India by the treatment of the Transvaal British-Indian colonists.
§ Colonel SEELYI regret that no actual settlement can be said to have been arrived at, which the leaders of the British-Indians are prepared to cordially accept. But my noble Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies made a statement in another place on November 16th showing that Transvaal Ministers have professed their willingness to meet the practical demands of the Indians. The law continues to be enforced. With regard to the number of Indians I would refer to a reply which I gave in this House to a similar question on 22nd April. The Transvaal Government stated on 5th June that 198 persons had been expelled, of whom 148 were known to have returned, and Mr. Handhi stated in July that the number of Indians actually residing was about 5,000, but I cannot say how far this figure may be correct without referring to the Transvaal Government. I am aware that meetings have been held in various parts of India to express indignation at the action of the Colonial Government.