Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/124

 34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN QUESTION though a refugee had to write to the supervisors of Asiatics, who had to refer the application to the Colonial Office, before permits were issued. The process took a very long time, from two to six months, and even one year and more, and then, too, the Colonial odioe had laid down a rule that only so many permits should be issued to British Indian refugees per week. The result of this mode of operation was that corruption became rampant, and there grew up a gang of permit·agents who simply flesced innocent refugees ; and it was a matter of notoriety that each refugee who wanted to enter the Transvaal had to spend from £15 to £3O or more. The matter came to the notice of the British Indian Associa- tion, repeated representations were made, and ultimately the Asiatic offices were wiped out. The mode of grant- ing permits was however, unfortunately still kept up, and the Chief Secretary for Permits has been always subject to instruction from the Colonial Office. Thus the Peace Preservation Ordinance, which was intended to apply to dangerous character and political offenders, under the influence of the Colonial Odioe had become an Indian Immigration Restriction Law, as it remains to this day. Under the present regime, too, therefore, it is a most difficult matter for even bona fide refugees to get permits, and it is only in rare cases that it is possible to get them, except after a delay of months. Every one, no matter what his status may be, has to make an appli- cation on a special form, give two references, and put his thumb impression upon the form. The matter is then investigated, and the permit is granted. As if this were not enough, owing to the charges made by Mr. Loveday and his friends, the Chief Secretary for Permits received instructions to insist on European references.