THE DAILY PROVINCE JUNE 4, 1914 p.1 HINDUS REFUSING TO COME ASHORE FOR ENQUIRY ------------------- Investigation of the Komagata Maru’s Party Now at a Standstill ------------------- Lots of Provisions Aboard and Water by the Ton is Pumped On. ------------New Arrivals Would Move the Federal Government to Feed Them While Here. ------------------- Mr. Bird Hints that Hunger Strike, a la Suffragette, is Contemplated. ------------------- There is a new deadlock in the Hindu situation today. The investigation being carried on by the officials as a board of enquiry is at a standstill because the Hindus refuse to leave the ship to attend. The first cases taken up by the board of enquiry last week were of the twenty men who claimed free entry to British Columbia because they were previous residents. Twelve of these were admitted after brief investigation and walked ashore. Two have since been allowed to enter after proving their statements before protracted hearings of the board. Three others have been heard, but decisions reserved. Three still remain out of the twenty to be heard. This trio was to have been gone on with this morning but when the official boat went out to get them they declined to appear. THE DAILY PROVINCE JUNE 4, 1914 p.1 It is stated that this new move has been adopted by Gurdit Singh and was as much a surprise to Mr. J. Edward Bird, counsel for the Hindus, as to the officials and the Hindus ashore. Mr. Bird and the officials remained at the immigration wharf most of the forenoon waiting for the party to appear, but the three declined to come. Say They Are Starving. Mr. J. Edward Bird, counsel for the Hindus, last night cabled the King and sent a similar message to the Duke of Connaught that the excursionists aboard the Komagata Maru were starving and very thirsty. Answering the latter count, it was officially explained this morning that there is plenty of water aboard the ship, for no less than 200 tons were taken out in a scow and pumped aboard yesterday morning. As to food, it is likewise officially stated that the steamer is literally full of it. Before the Hindus left the other side of the Pacific they provisioned in the particular food that they like best for a period of two years. Salt water damaged a part of this while the vessel was on the way across the ocean, but it is stated that there is still plenty aboard and in good condition to last for many months. This morning, however, Hindus aboard the ship told the officials that for two days they had been given very little to eat. It was impossible to discover this morning just how much food there was aboard. Will They Strike? Mr. Bird also intimated last night that being worked up to a fine frenzy with the shore only a few jumps away, the Hindus were preparing for extreme measure and would likely commence a hunger strike. In immigration circles this threat from the Hindus is looked on merely as a bit of grandstand play. They have been demanding that during the time of their detention they should be fed at the government expense and they are taking every possible action to compel the government to thus assist them. THE DAILY PROVINCE JUNE 4, 1914 The officials, however, are simply maintaining their previous attitude of taking no responsibility at all for looking after them. p.1 How Local Colony Feels. Ashore, the Hindus resident in Vancouver have about given up hope that anything will be done to result in the new arrivals being allowed to land. As a matter of fact, now that the agitation has reached such an acute stage, the Hindus resident here are not so sure but that there might be serious trouble if by any trick their people get ashore. The local Hindu leaders realize that the immigration officials have taken the utmost precautions to uphold the regulations and if the latter fail and the Komagata Maru party gets in, the brunt of the whole situation will fall on the entire Hindu colony to defend. It is regarded by the officials as significant that the local Hindus have instructed their counsel to withdraw from the court of enquiry, though Mr. Bird is appearing there today as representing individual Hindus.