Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 2.djvu/222

 COMMANDER OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER OF SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT GEORGE, GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN CHIEF IN AND OVER THE COLONY OF NATAL; VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE SAME, AND SUPREME CHIEF OVER THE NATIVE POPULATION

THE HUMBLE PETITION OF DADA ABDOOLLA & CO., OF THE TOWN OF DURBAN, OWNERS OF THE “COURLAND” (S.S.) AND REPRESENTING THE OWNER OF “NADERI” (S.S.) FOR A RELEASE OF THE SAID STEAMERS FROM QUARANTINE }}

SHEWETH,

That the said Naderi and Courland respectively left Bombay on the 28th and 30th ultimo, with 356 and 255 passengers respectively, of all classes, on board, and bound respectively for this port, where they arrived respectively, on the 18th instant, at 2 o’clock p.m., and 5.30 o’clock p.m.

That the respective Medical Officers, on board the said respective vessels, reported to the Government Health Officer, on their arrival here, that there was then, and during the respective voyages from Bombay there had been, no sickness whatever on board the said vessels, yet the said Government Health Officer of the Port refused pratique, alleging as a ground therefor a Proclamation of Your Excellency. That the Proclamation referred [to] is dated the 18th instant, and was published in a Gazette Extraordinary, dated the 19th instant.

That your Petitioners submit as follows:

(a) That a proclamation is a “publication by authority, or notice public,” and that the said Proclamation not being published until the 19th instant, could not apply to said steamers which had actually arrived on the 18th instant.

(b) That by a strict construction of the words contained in Section 1 of Law 4, of 1882, the Proclamation could only apply to steamers which, after the notification of the said Proclamation both left and arrived here from the infected Port.

(c) That the crowding of large numbers of passengers on steamers of the description of those aforesaid is conducive to illness and epidemic.

(d) That from the certificates of medical men hereto annexed, it will appear that the passengers could be landed without any danger to the community.

(e) That in consequence of the acts aforesaid your Petitioners are sustaining damage averaging one hundred and fifty pounds per diem. Wherefore, your Petitioners pray that the Medical Officer of the Port may be directed to grant pratique to the said vessels, or that such relief may be granted in the premises as is meet. And your Petitioners will ever pray, etc.

(Signed) DADA ABDOOLLA & CO.