Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 1.djvu/187

 ved the assent of His Excellency the Governor, subject to its being disallowed by Her Majesty.

4. The Bill above referred to has for its object the disqualification of all the persons of Asiatic extraction, who have settled in the Colony, to vote at the Parliamentary elections. It, however, excepts those who are already rightly placed on the Voters' Lists.

5. Your Lordship's Petitioners crave leave to give a short history of the movement carried on to obtain redress through the constituted authorities in the Colony.

6. It was when the Franchise Law Amendment Bill had passed the second reading that Your Lordship's Petitioners first approached the Honourable the Legislative Assembly. When Your Lordship's Petitioners became aware that two days after the second reading, the Bill had passed the committee stage, and a day after, it would pass the third reading it was impossible to present a petition to the Hon. the Legislative Aeeembly unless the third reading was postponed. Your Lordship's Petitioners, therefore, sent a telegraphic petition to the Honourable the Legislative Assembly, requesting that a postponement should be granted. The postponement was very graciously granted for one day. In that one day, about 500 Indians signed a petition which was next day presented to the Honourable the Legislative Assembly. In Maritzburg, a deputation waited upon some Honourable Members of the Honourable House, including the Premier and the Attorney-General. The deputation was very courteously received and given a patient hearing. Most of the Honourable Members waited upon more or less admitted the justice of the prayer contained in the said petition, though all said that it was presented too late. The Honourable Prime Minister, in order that it might be studied, asked leave to postpone the third reading for four days. It might be mentioned also that telegraphic petitions were sent to the Honourable the Legislative Council from Verulam, Richmond Road and other places, endorsing the said petition. But they were ruled out of order on the ground they were not presented through a Member of the House. Your Lordship's Petitioners have not annexed hereto the various petitions referred to, as these will no doubt be sent to Your Lordship by the Government.

7. Four days, after the presentation of the petition, i.e., on the 2nd July, 1894, Monday, the Bill was, contrary to your Petitioners' expectations and much to their regret, read a third time.