43. Resolutions adopted at a mass meeting of the Natal Indian Patriotic Congress, 1909

From the book: A Documentary History of Indian South Africans edited by Surendra Bhana and Bridglal Pachai

The Natal Indian Patriotic Union was comprised mainly of non-trader colonial-born Indians. The following resolutions were adopted at a mass meeting of British Indians held at Durban on 19 and 20 December 1909. Only one of the six resolutions is concerned with trade; the Union's predominant concern was education. The president of the N.I.P.U. was P. S. Aiyar, and the secretaries V. Lawrence and A. D. Pillay. Source: C.S.O. 1909/7242, vol. 1882, Natal Archives.

1. That this mass meeting of the British Indians, held at Durban, respectfully approaches the Natal Government with a view to amending section 20 of the Natal University Act, in that unlimited discretionary power is entrusted to governing body of the above-mentioned University College for the summary rejection of candidates for admission, and requests that His Excellency the Governor be pleased to direct the necessary amendments be made therein, so that British Indians irrespective of colour or creed may have access to the proposed University College.

2. That this mass meeting ventures to submit that in the Bills providing for pensions for the teachers employed in the aided schools and in the employ of the Natal Government, Indians have been subjected to palpable injustice, in that they have been left out of the pension scheme altogether; and that this meeting, in view of the fact that the Bills referred to being of the nature of class legislation, respectfully approaches His Excellency the Governor to disallow the same from becoming law.

3. That this meeting ventures to draw the attention of His Excellency the Governor to the Compulsory Education Act which has been passed by the Parliament, and which is an avowed system of class legislation specifically intended to promote the well-being of the white citizens at the sacrifice of the interests of the coloured and Indian tax-payer, and hopes that His Excellency shall be pleased to exercise the prerogative of the Crown in vetoing the said Compulsory Education Act.

4. That this meeting while deeply grateful to the Natal Government for the amendments made in the Wholesale and Retail Dealers' Act, in that appellate jurisdiction in the case of vested rights has been given to the Supreme Court, respectfully ventures to urge that those who have made this Colony their home are subjected to great disability and inconvenience arising from the drastic nature of the said Act, which entrusts the licensing officers with absolute discretionary power in granting new licences; and that this meeting therefore humbly prays the Honourable the Legislative Assembly and the Honourable the Legislative Council to make such amendments in the said Act as wouldafford sufficient opportunity for those who have a claim on this Colony and their descendants to obtain new trading licences.

5. That this meeting is strongly of opinion that in the interests of all parties concerned, the introduction of further indentured Indian labour to this Colony should be forthwith stopped, and that with this object in view, the Indian Imperial Governments be memorialised to give effect to this resolution.

6. That this meeting authorises the secretaries of the Natal Indian Patriotic Union to forward copies of the aforesaid resolutions to the respective authorities and to the press.