per safeguards in the Colonies should have been provided ; and tin til they should have had reasonable time to adjust themselves to the change, a period which must neoessarily depend on oiroum*
stances and conditions imperfeatly kaowa ;u present."
Tboae of ua who know anything of the system knew
that* ib was well-nigh impossible bo find uew conditions
wbiob would ba economically sound for the planters, and morally sound for us, We felb that the Government) would SOJQ find thia ou* for themselves, aud that, in view of Lard EUrdioga's whole-haarted disapproval of the system, bis view of tha nearness of the end would coincide with our own, But> now a different situation faoes us. Nearly a year baa gone by, and we discover 6 bat the planters of F.ji bave been led to believe thab they will bave five yeara more of bha syatem, and ai> the nd of ib new conditions may after all ba a obange in aame bud not in substance. Lat Mr. Bonar Law's des- patch speak for itself. Writing under date Marob i, 1916, 4io tobe Acting Governor of Fiji, be says :
" The Secretary of 3 sate for India is satisfied that it would not be possible for the Government of India to continue to defeat by a bare official majority resolutions in their Legislative Council, urging the abolition of indenture ; that in his opinion, the stroug and universal feding in India on this suojeot makes it a question of urgency : and that he has accepted the conclusion that inden- tured emigration must be abolished."
He tbeu proceeds :
" Though, from the point of view of the Colonies concerned, the decision which the Indian Government and the Secretary of State for India bave taken is to be regretted, I recognise that the final decision upon this question muse rest with the Indian Govern- ment."
Tbus the humanities of the qaeaiion are tacitly sup- posed 60 be no concern of fehe Colonies.
Now mark this significant) paragraph, culled from tbe same illuminating despatch :
"I have, therefore, agreed to the appointment of an inter- -departmental committee to consider what system should be sab-
�� �
