THE DAILY PROVINCE
APRIL 17, 1911

p. 3

PLEA OF HINDUS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
--------------Pass Resolutions Which Will Be Laid Before
Imperial Conference in May.
-------------------

Five hundred of his majesty’s subjects from the coral strand met
yesterday afternoon in Orange hall and passed resolutions of protest against
alleged unfair treatment in Canada of Hindus and Sikhs. A score of
Mohammedans who attended the meeting endorsed the resolutions. The
meeting was addressed by Surem M. Bose of India, a recent graduate from the
University of California, at Berkeley.
Mr. Bose told his fellow countrymen that as British subjects they should
enjoy equal rights with Canadians. Japanese and Chinese had been obtaining
free instructions in the public schools of this country for thirty years, he said,
and Hindus were not even allowed to bring their wives to this country. Life
under those conditions, he said, was unnatural. He said the present law
providing that each Hindu immigrant have at least $200 is unjust. He pointed
out that Japanese immigrants need bring only $25 to this country.
Self-government for the colonies with the British Empire divided into a
confederation of states was the keynote of his address. He said India would
receive first consideration at the imperial conference to be held in London in
May.
The resolutions asked that the equal citizenship of the Hindus be
recognized and that they be allowed to enter Canada “free from insult and
indignities and with all unfair restrictions removed.” The resolutions will be
forwarded to the imperial conference in London.
H. Rahim was chairman of the meeting yesterday.