Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 2.djvu/201

 a material addition to the free Indian population; certainly not in any way large enough to justify the alarm. It is also worthy of note that the European immigration is and has almost always been in excess of the free Indian immigration.


 * A return signed by Mr. G. O. Rutherford, Acting Protector of Immigrants, shows that from August last to January seven steamship firms deported 1,298 free Indians from the Colony; the same companies introduced 1,964 Indians in the same time, most of the immigrants coming from Bombay.—The Natal Mercury, 17th March, 1897.

There is no foundation for the statement that there is any competition between European and free Indian artisans. Your Memorialists can speak from their own knowledge that there are very few Indian mechanics and artisans in the Colony, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, bricklayers, etc., and those that are, are inferior to the European. (The Indian artisans of high order do not come to Natal.) There are a few tailors and goldsmiths in the Colony, but they minister to the wants only of the Indian community. As to the competition between the Indian and European traders, it has been well said, in some of the extracts quoted above, that, if there is any competition, it is rendered possible by the large support given by the European merchants. But the very fact that the European merchants are willing, nay anxious, to support Indian traders, shows that they do not compete with them to any appreciable extent. They, really speaking, act as middlemen and begin where the Europeans leave. The Commissioners, who were specially appointed to report upon Indian matters nearly 10 years ago, thus report as to the Indian traders:


 * We are convinced that much of the irritation existing in the minds of European Colonists against the whole Indian population of the Colony has been excited by the undoubted ability of these Arab traders to compete with European merchants, and specially with those who have chiefly directed their attention to the supply of articles, notably rice, largely consumed by the Indian immigrant population. . ..


 * We are of opinion that these Arab traders have been drawn to Natal by the presence therein of those Indians who have been introduced under the immigration laws. Rice is the chief food of the 30,000 Indian immigrants now in the Colony; and these astute traders have so successfully devoted their tact and energy to the supply of that article that the price to all consumers fell from 21s. per bag in former years to 14s. in 1884 . . . It is said that kaffirs can buy from Arabs at from 25 to 30% lower rates than those obtaining six or seven years ago . ..