Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/116

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

26 THB SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN QUESTION

I may abate our position a little more olearly. We are aware that} the insults and indignities that we are subjected to at the hands of the populace oannot be directly removed by the intervention of the Home Government, We do not appeal to it for any auoh intervention. We bring them to the notioa of the public so that the fairminded of ail communities and the Press may be expressing their disapproval, materially reduce their rigour and possibly eradicate them ultimately. But we certainly do appeal and we hope not vainly to the Home Government for protection againnt reproduction of such ill-feeling in legislation, We certainly beseech the Home Government to disallow all the Acts of the Legislative bodies of the Colonies restricting our freedom in any shape or form. And this brings me to the last question, namely, how far can the Home Government interfere with euoh action on the part of the Colonies and the allied States. As for Zululand there can be no question since it is a Crown Colony directly governed from Downing Street through a Governor. It is nob a self- governing or a responsibly-governed Colony as the Colonies of Natal and the Cape of Good Hope are. With regard to the last two their Constitution Act provides that Her Majesty may disallow any Act of the Local Parliament within two years even after it has become law having received the Governor's assent. That is one safeguard against oppressive measures by the Colonies. The Koyal instructions to the Governor as also the Constitution Act enumerate certain Bills which oannot be assented to by the Governor without Her Majesty's previous sanction. Among auoh are Bills which have for their object class legislation such as the Franchise Bill or Immigration Bill, Her Majesty's intervention

�� �