Indian Passengers and their Gold

THE Indian Opinion publishes a letter by Mr. P.K. Desai who describes a scene on board a steamship which was conveying him and other Indian passengers from Durban to Bombay recently. Before the ship sailed two officers went on it to arrest two Indians for having gold coins in their possession. It was represented to the authorities that every Indian passenger had gold coins which they knew was unlawful, but for personal use. The officer seized the gold and marched the whole lot to the court, but on second thoughts, he brought them back to the steamer and persuaded them to take £35 each in gold and the rest in treasury notes which would be cashed at Bombay by a bank.