Chapter 46 Chapter XIX Natal Indian Congress

The practice of being a lawyer was, and has always been, my side vocation.It was then necessary for me to concentrate on public work, for that was the purpose of my continued residence in Natal.Distributing petitions about the disenfranchisement bill is not enough by itself.Persistent agitation was necessary to impress the Colonial Secretary of State.For this purpose, a permanent organization needs to be established.So I discussed this issue with Abdullah Sai and other friends, and we agreed to have a permanent public organization.Trying to come up with a name for this new organization is killing me.It had better not be confused with any particular party.I know that the name "Congress" has a bad reputation among British Conservatives, but the National Congress is the lifeblood of India.I want to promote it in Natal.It makes one dare to adopt the name without hesitation.I, therefore, explaining my reasons in detail, propose that this organization be called the Indian Congress of Natal, and be proclaimed on May 22nd.

That day, Dada Abdullah's large house was full of people.The conference received enthusiastic support from all the participants.The constitution is very simple, but the dues are very heavy.Only those who could afford to pay five shillings a month were eligible for membership.Those with better financial conditions were advised to pay as much as possible.Abdullah paid two pounds a month and was among the best.Two other friends also wrote the same amount.I thought I couldn't be too far behind, and wrote a one-pound monthly dues.That's not a small amount to me, but I think it's affordable as long as I'm a bit more frugal.And God is still helping me.Sure enough, we have a large number of members who pay one pound a month, and even more people who write down ten shillings a month.There were also some donations, which were of course gratefully accepted.

Experience has proved that no one will pay membership dues alone.It is also impossible for members who live outside Durban to visit them frequently.The momentary enthusiasm seemed to fade quickly.Even the members who live in Durban will not pay the membership fee if they don't ask for it repeatedly. I am secretary of the assembly, and the task of collecting dues falls to me.Later, I had to hire a clerk to collect membership dues all day long.This man is tired of this kind of work too, and I also feel that if this situation is to be improved, the membership fee must be changed from a monthly fee to an annual fee, and even then, it must be paid in advance.I therefore called a meeting of the General Assembly, and everyone welcomed the suggestion of changing the monthly fee to an annual fee, and fixed a minimum annual fee of £3.In this way, the work of collecting membership fees will go smoothly.

I have learned from the beginning that public work cannot be done on credit.One can rely on promises in most matters, except in matters of money.I have never seen a man pay his dues on time, and neither did the Indians in Natal.Precisely because it does nothing when it has no money, the Indian Congress of Natal has never been in debt. My colleagues are more than normal motivated to connect with members.It's the kind of work that keeps them interested and at the same time a valuable experience.The majority of members are willing to pay their dues in cash.In the remote interior countryside, work was difficult.People don't understand the nature of public work.But we often receive invitations to visit distant places, and famous merchants in each place receive us very hospitablely.

On one occasion we encountered a rather difficult situation on this type of travel.We expected £6 from our host, but he only promised a maximum of £3.If we accept this amount, others will follow suit, and our paid work will be affected.It was late at night and we were very hungry.However, the amount we intend to collect has not been received yet, so how can we eat well?When all the good things had been said, the host seemed extremely determined and unmoved.Other businessmen in the area looked up to him, and we sat all night, both sides determined not to back down.Most of my colleagues were furious, but they all restrained themselves.In the end, as dawn broke, the host gave in, paid 6 pounds, and invited us to dinner.It happened in East Carter, but its effects were felt as far away as Stanzel on the north coast and Charlestown in the interior.This incident also hastened our work in collecting membership dues.

Fundraising isn't the only job, however.In fact, I have long understood such a principle: Do not let a person have more money than he needs. Meetings are usually once a month, or once a week if necessary.During the meeting, the minutes of the previous meeting are always read out, and then various issues are discussed.People have no experience of taking part in public discussions, or of speaking briefly and to the point.Everyone hesitated to stand up and speak.I explained the procedures and rules of the meeting to them, and they all followed them.They understand that it is an education for them, and that many who have never been accustomed to speak in public, soon acquire the habit of thinking and speaking in public on matters of public interest.

Knowing that in public work small expenses sometimes lead to large ones, it was at first resolved not to print even receipts.There is a mimeograph machine in my office, and receipts and various documents are mimeographed.It was not until the conference had sufficient funds and the number of members and work increased that these things were printed.This economy is necessary for every group, but I know that not every group can do it.It is for this reason that I start by talking about these subsections in detail for a small but growing organization. People pay their dues and don't care if they have a receipt, but we always insist on a receipt.So every penny is well remembered, and I venture to assert that the ledgers of 1894 can still be found intact today in the archives of the Natal Indian Congress.Careful keeping of accounts is essential to any organization; without them the organization loses its prestige.It cannot maintain its original purity of truth without keeping proper accounts.

Another feature of the conference is that Indians who have been educated from local overseas Chinese have been absorbed to serve everyone.Under the sponsorship of the conference, the Overseas Indian Educational Association was established, and most of its members are this group of educated youths.They have to pay nominal dues.The association helps them solve their difficulties, inspires their ideas, brings them into contact with Indian businessmen, and also provides them with services for overseas Chinese groups.The Society is also a place of debate; members meet regularly to read papers on various issues.A small library linked to the association was also established.

The third feature of the conference is publicity.This included bringing the real situation in Natal to the British in South Africa and Great Britain, as well as to the people of India.To this end I wrote two pamphlets: the first, An Appeal to Every Briton in South Africa, included a statement, backed up by facts, of the general condition of the Indians in Natal.The other is Indian Suffrage—A Call, which includes a brief history of Indian suffrage in Natal with facts and figures.The laborious research which went into preparing these pamphlets was, though nerve-wracking, well worth it in the end.They were widely disseminated.

The result of all this activity was to win countless friends for the Indians in South Africa, and to gain active sympathy from all parties in India.This activity also laid out a clear line of action before Indians in South Africa.