46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN QUESTION passes as are defined in the Ordinance under discus- sion. We have already shown, in our humble repre- sentation, that no relief has been granted by this Ordinance, because the remission of the £3 fee referred to by Mr. Deccan is quite illusory, because all we British Indians resident in the Transvaal, who are obliged to pay £3 under Liw 3 of 1885, and those who, under Inrd 8elb>rne’s promises are likely to be allowed to re·enter the Transvaal, have paid the £3 already. The authority to issue temporary permits is also superfluous, in that the Government have already exercis- ed the power, and there are to·day in the Transvaal several Indians in possession of temporary permits. Tney are liable to be expelled from the Colony on the expiry of their permits. Tue relief under the Liquor-Ordinance is, British indians feel, a wanton insult. So much was thus recognised by the local Government that they immediately assured the Indians that it was not intended for British Indians atlall, but for somebody else. We have no connection with anybody else and we have always endeavoured to show that the British Indians ought to he treated as British subjects, and ought not to be included with the general body of Asiatios with respect to whom there may be a need for some restrictions which ought not to apply to British Indians as British subjects. There remains one more sentiment, that is, in con- nection with the land owned by the late Aboobaker. The land should belong to the heirs by right, but under the interpretation reluctantly put upon it by the Supreme Court, that it is only individual in character, and does not
