INDIA'S FUTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 3, 5 January 1931, Page 7

INDIA'S FUTURE.

FEDERAL STRUCTURE.

Conference Progress Reviewed By " Times."

AGREEMENT ON MANY POINTS.

(British Official Wirfcless.)

(Received'l p.m.) RUGBY, January 4. Yesterday the India Conference reached an important stage in its discussions, and the progress of the last few days has been such as to give hope of an early and favourable conclusion to the proceedings. '.A good number of the Indian delegates have arranged to return home towards the end of January. A leader in the "Times" reviews progress and refers particularly to the impression in some quarters that the conference is cither procrastinating or .failing. The articlo states-.that the delegates themselves aro not dissatisfied nor despondent, and that informed outsiders/ can only bo amaze/1 by what in fact has been achieved. "Never before in all history has a conference been faced with problems so colossal, complicated, and independent," the paper states. "Thanks to the Statutory Commission's report and other documents, the basis of discussion" was ready, but even so, and allowing for the infinite variety of interests presented and for the Indians' gift of oratory, it is an accomplishment that a bare month and a half should have produced so large a measure of agreement about so many elements in the - future constitution of India. _ "The question of Burma is practically dccided, and the consensus of the problem of the North-West Frontier Province has passed through the sub-eom-mitteo with the minimum of reservations. .Reports have also been prepared on the future of tho franchise and provincial constitutions." '.rhe "Times" believes that tho HinduMoslem tension, strained almost beyond endurance by partisan propaganda from India, now shows signs of yielding to generous statesmanship. Area of Common Ground/

The newspaper adds: "Let it never be forgotten that the business of tho conference is not to produce a draft of the constitution in detail, but to set before Parliament the problems in an Outline of the largest possible area of common ground. Many difficult problems remain, and that of the federal structure, including the vital' question of tho character of the central executive and its responsibility to the Central Legislature will take a few -more days in committee, though they were so far placed in their proper sequence yesterday that these difficulties jf not removed are very materially diminished by the new prospect of an All-India Federation being the immediate possibility.

"The chances of stable legislature arc far greater than they were and the whole; trend of the round table discussion lias been to reveal unanimous agreement on the necessity for, a strong Parliament. Nor does anyone seriously challenge the case for what are commonly called 'reservations' and safeguards."

Down from the Clouds. ' The "Times'" leader points out that the whole theory of the Round Table Conference was that it was a common meeting-ground' of fellow-workers on equal terms, and claims for the conference the valuable result of bringing all its members down from the clouds. The habit of working together has grown and there is the incomparable loss of that suspicion which Lord Sankey, the chairman, has deprecated as an Impossible foundation for future peace. It concludes that the conference may fairly claim that it has neither wasted time nor avoided the crucial issues.