70 THE SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN QUESTION Ministers that he is regarded here practically as a non- odiciai member of the Ministry. Only recently be express- ed himself, privately, most oifensively about the Indians to a member oi the Union Parliament, named Mr. Mey- ler, who has publicly protested against his appointment. Colonel Wylie has been our bittsrest opponent in Natal for more than twenty years. So far back as 1896 he led a mob to demonstrate against the landing of Indians who had arrived at Durban in two vessels, advocated at a public meeting the sinking of the ships with all Indians on board and commending a remark made by another speaker that he would willingly put down one month's pay for one shot at the Indians and asked how many were prepared to put down similarly a month's pay on those terms; and he has consistently been our enemy all these years Moreover, he is Colonel of the Defence Force whose acts are the subject of inquiry and he is also the Legal Adviser of many estate owners and during the present agitation he has openly said that the £ 3 tax ought not to be repealed. The Commission is not merely judicial but also political, investigating not only the facts as to ill·treat- ment, but also recommending a policy for the future, and it is impossible that the Chairman will control the views of his colleagues in matters of policy. The appointment of Messrs. Esselen and Wylie to investigate our grievan- ces and to siigmatise our protests against their appoint- ment as an unwarranted reflection on their impartiality is to add insult to injury. Almost the entire South African Press admits the reasonableness of our sugges·· tions as to the additional members. Ministers of religion and other European friends are working to remove the present deadlock and secure us fair·play. We would be
