09-05-2025
From The Hindu, May 9, 1925: Colour Bar Bill
SECOND READING PASSED - AN ACRIMONIOUS DEBATE
CAPE TOWN. May 6.
By a small majority of eleven votes, the Colour Bar Bill passed its second reading this afternoon after an acrimonious debate, and now goes to the Select Committee. In the course of his speech in summing up the debte, Mr. Bayers, the Minister for Mines, declared that he had no intention to offend Indians and, if the Committee could find a formula satisfactorily expressing the intention and meaning of the Bill without using the specific word 'Asiaties,' he would welcome such a formula.
EXTENSION TO THE CAPE
This pronouncement was highly satisfactory, but less so was the Minister's hint of the possibility that the Government might avail themselves of the powers of the Bill to extend the colour bar to the Cape, on the ground that if the Cape employers were forbidden to do so, a condition of unfair competition would be created.
