"To Get Rid of Indians."

Indian Opinion (March 16), the organ of the people of India who have settled down in South Africa, gives a remarkable instance of the persecution to which some Indian tradesmen are exposed under the present conditions in some parts of that country. A well-known Indian resident of Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, bought a business in another part of the town and closed down his. In so doing he applied to the Town Council for a transfer of his licence to the newly acquired premises. A temporary transfer was given for two months and after this time expired, he applied for a permanent licence and was refused. He asked for reasons, but none were given. A solicitor was engaged to ascertain the reason by interviewing the town clerk who remarked, says our contemporary, "that it was the intention of the Council to slowly get rid of Indian traders." If this report is correct, we can only regret the anti-Indian spirit which still prevails in South Africa in this matter.