On this day a century ago, these were some of the news items The Statesman readers got to read about India and the world.
OCCASIONAL NOTE
It will be news to many people that Calcutta has lacked so elementary a necessity as that of proper waiting accommodation for the hundreds of deck passengers who pass through the port on their way to or from Burma and other eastern destinations. These humble emigrants and immigrants, having nowhere else to go, have found sojourning places in one of the Port Commissioners’ sheds or on the roadside in the neighbourhood of Outram Ghat; and when steamer accommodation is over taxed or unavailable they have to wait sometimes for a week or even longer, camping out as best they can. There has been a public danger in this state of things, for the risk of a cholera epidemic has been nipped in the bud more than once. The matter is now being dealt with in a satisfactory manner. The erection of a large two storied passengershed has been taken in hand, with disinfectors and modern sanitary arrangements. The site will be that of an old eyesore, the brick and stone dump of the Public Works Department. A more suitable place at Chitpore has been found for the bricks, and we may now look forward to the provision in the near future of waiting accommodation for the deck passengers which will be as satisfactory as can be reasonably expected. There is some hope of obtaining another very necessary requirement before long, this being a reserve camping ground where considerable numbers of people may be accommodated in case of necessity for health observation. This is a matter which claims the attention of the Corporation.
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CHITPORE ROAD MURDER
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The adjourned Coroner’s inquest on the body of an up-countryman named Hari Singh, who was stabbed to death in Upper Chitpore Road, was held on Thursday in the presence of three Peshawari accused named Fuz le Rahman, Gama and Dado. Mahabir Singh said he was passing the grog shop along with Hari Singh, when he saw Dado, who stabbed him. He could not say who stabbed Hari Singh. Kontha Singh, a durwan, said he heard a row and came out of his residence and found a man lying between the tram-car lines. Mahabir was lying close to him. He gave chase to one of the Peshawaris and while doing so he was stabbed by Gama. He fell down unconscious. Jotindra Mohan Biswas, a taxi -cab driver, recalled, said that Gama and Fuzle Rahman were two of the three Peshawaris who had driven in his car to the wine shop. He was driving the taxi away when Gama stopped him by whipping out a knife and holding it before him. The Jury returned a verdict of death from grievous hurt caused by Fuzle Rahman, aided by the other two accused.
EXCESS PROFITS TAX
The Chairman of the Madras Chamber of Commerce has addressed the Revenue Secretary to the Government of Madras on the subject of the Excess Profits Bill, pointing out the inadvisability of the introduction of the Bill in view of the cessation of hostilities and urging that the imposition of the tax now, with the present disorganisation of trade and industries and heavy prospective losses of merchants and industries, will act most unfavourably and tend to check the industrial development of the country. The letter further submits that the intention to make the tax retrospective accentuates the inexpediency of the proposed legislation. The Chamber trusts that, should the Government definitely decide to proceed with the Bill, advantage will be taken of the opportunity to repeal the existing super-tax, in so far as at least as it relates to reserves of companies and firms.
TREATMENT OF INDIANS IN SOUTH AFRICA
DELHI, MAR 19
Sir Thomas Holland, in the Imperial Council, replying to Mr. V.J. Patel’s question re. the ill treatment of Indians in South Africa, said: In a letter addressed by name to Sir George Barnes, Mr. Gandhi forwarded a copy of a cable received by him from Johannesburg. I wrote to him myself on the 1st March to let him know that the Government were cabling to the Secretary of State, and on the same day his cable was repeated with the request that the Government might be supplied with full information. At the same time the chairman of the British Indian Association at Johannesburg was informed of the action which the Government had taken. Until further information is received the Government are not in a position to consider whether the circumstances require the despatch of a mission to South Africa such as is proposed by Mr. Gandhi.
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