The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1929. THE STATUS OF INDIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 261, 4 November 1929, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1929. THE STATUS OF INDIA.

for *Ae oatiee <Aa* iacfce assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance t And the good that tee oan da.

Last week the Viceroy of India published a statement with respect to Indian affairs which seems to have been regarded at first as a prelude to certain sensational developments in the near future. The main point in Lord Irwin's announcement is the emphasis, laid upon India's ultimate attainment of Dominion status. It is suggested that after the Simon Commission has made its report, the British Government should convene another conference, which should include representatives of British India and the Indian States, to discuss the measures to be ultimately submitted to Parliament for the extension of a large measure of self-government to India.

At first this declaration was interpreted as meaning that Mr. Mac Donald and his colleagues intend to grant virtual autonomy to India -without delay. This view of the situation seemed to be confirmed by Mr. George Lansbury's enthusiastic message of congratulation to the Indian Nationalists and his publicly offered assurance that "there is no shadow of disagreement among the highest authorities regarding India's right to selfgovernment." Mr. Lloyd George, ever on the watch for an opportunity, scented trouble in the air at once, and put some urgent questions to Ministers covering the substance of Lord Irwin's dispatch. The fact that Sir John Simon has not yet submitted his commission's report seemed ominous in itself, and the general impression produced by Lord Irwin's statement certainly was that Cabinet contemplated a forward step in India that might be incompatible with the line of policy followed there by all our governments hitherto.

In reply to Mr. Lloyd George the Secretary of State for India had to admit that the Simon Commission had not been consulted about the issue of Lord Irwin's memorandum. But as to the main point of Mr. Lloyd George's intervention, Mr. Wedgwood Benn informed the House that Lord Irwin had only attempted "to set out the goal of British policy" as denned in the declaration of 1917, which preceded the establishment of the political system now operating in India. In a sense this is no doubt literally true, and even the "Times" admits that Lord Irwin has only repeated previous statements of "the ultimate goal of India's constitutional progress." This is to some extent reassuring, and no doubt the idea of a further conference is a good one. The position of the Native Princes in particular will need careful discussion and they have already set forth their claim for consideration in clear and impressive terms. It seems unfortunate that Lord Irwin did not state his position more plainly; and it was certainly a tactical blunder to publish this document before the Simon Commission's report was available! But for the moment we may accept the "Daily Herald's" assurance that Lord Irwin has not stated a new policy, l but has merely offered "a reafflrmation and a clearer interpretation of the policy laid down twelve years ago."