Indentured Labour

Pundit [Madan Mohan] Malaviya [in Simla on September 11] moved that the Government of India should move the Secretary of State for India to negotiate with the Crown Colonies concerning the early release of those Indian labourers whose indentures have not yet expired. This was no mere sentiment but a practical question. Lord Carmichael, presiding over Mr. Polak’s lecture, had emphasised the fact. The speaker, continuing, pointed out that contracts were already broken from the side of Fiji Government and that they were not sending out men and women who had finished their indentures on account of shortage of ships and that their passages were held up. Detailing his arguments he read extracts from the excellent reports of Mr. Andrews who visited Fiji last year for a second time. The speaker paid an eloquent tribute to him and Mr. Pearson and urged that the Government of India should take the right view and stop the system. He alluded to the serious cases in coolie lines and these, he said, should not be allowed to continue. Talk of Imperial partnership was no use when these things continued.

Source: The Hindu, 12/09/2018