Following upon that was established an association in Durban on the 26th day of November, 1896, called the Colonial Patriotic Union. The object of the Union is stated to be “to prevent the further influx of free Asiatics into the country”. The following passages occur in the statement published by the Union:
- By preventing the further immigration of Asiatic races into this Colony, the interests of Europeans, natives, and Asiatics now in the country will be protected. The Union will in no way interfere with the introduction of indentured labourers, provided such labourers, with their wives and children, if any, shall be returnable to India on completion of their indentures.
The Union have been canvassing signatures to the following petition addressed to the Government:
- We the undersigned inhabitants of the Colony of Natal do hereby most respectfully petition the Government to adopt measures which would prevent the influx of Asiatic races into this Colony: ‘(1) The older and richer British Colonies of Australia and New Zealand have found that this class of immigrant is detrimental to the best interests of inhabitants, and have passed laws having as their object the total exclusion of Asiatics. (2) The disproportion between white and black races is already so great in this Colony that it appears highly injudicious to further increase this disproportion. (3) The continued introduction of Asiatic races is in the highest sense detrimental to the natives of this Colony from the fact that so long as the cheaper Asiatic supply is available so long will the civilization of the natives be retarded, their civilization depending upon their intercourse with the white races. (4) The low moral tone and insanitary habits of Asiatics are a constant source of danger to the progress and health of the European population.’
The Government have declared themselves in entire sympathy with the Union programme. It will be seen that, as your Memorialists feared when the Immigration Law Amendment Bill was passed,[5] which has unfortunately received the sanction of the Home Government, it was simply a step towards further restriction. Whether the Government would bring in a Bill having for its object completion of the indentures in India is another matter. But, your Memorialists humbly submit, the fact remains that the yielding by Her Majesty’s Government to the desire of the European Colonists to establish the
