62 THE SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN QUESTION Dear Mr. Gorges.-—-I am much obliged to you lor your letter of the 19ah instant regarding the`marriage question. I have not widened the original scope of my request. But I shall endeavour as clearly as possible to re-state the position. It is submitted that authority should be taken from Parliament during its next session to legalise mono- gamous marriages already solemnised or hereafter to be solemnised hy Indian priests among Indians belong- ing to non-Christian denominations. Legislation has become necessary only because the marriage clause in the new Act was hastily worded without considering the lull position. Unless the relief now sought is granted soon,tbe status of Indian women married in South Africa is that of concubines and their children not lawful heirs of their parents. Such is, as I take it, the effect of the Searlejudgment combined with the action of the Natal Master of the Supreme Court and the Gardiner judgment. I have asked for a promise of amelioration during the next session because I submit that the matter is one of urgency. With regard to polygamy, I have not asked for legal recognition, but the admission under the powers vested in the Minister of plural wives without the Government in any way recognising their legal status. The admission is to be restricted only to plural wives already married to Indians who may be found to be unquestionably domiciled in the Union. This at once restricts the scope of the Governments generosity and enables them to know now bow many such wives will have to be admitted. I have already submitted a plan as to how this can be brought about. _
