NEARING CLOSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 10, 13 January 1931, Page 7

NEARING CLOSE.

INDIA CONFERENCE.

j Prime Minister to Outline Proposals. i ! PULL SESSION ON FBIDAY. • British Official Wireless. > '.Received 1 p.ni.i RUGBY, January 12. The Round Table Conference is expeeted to end its task this week. It has provisionally arranged for a full meeting of the conference in committee on Thursday and Friday,, and a plenary session on the latter day. when the Prime Minister ■will make a speech outlining the Government's proposals to be embodied in a measure for presentation to Parliament. The delegates are expected to say farewell to one another next Monday at the latest. To-day an important itage was reached when Lord Sankey read to the Federal Structure Committee a 26-page draft report on the subjects this body has been considering. J.t Iβ expected that discussion on the report will be completed to-morrow, and it is understood that the report points out that the sub-committee does not claim to have evolved in all its details, a complete plan for a federal constitution. They consider the best service they can render to the conference is to state certain general principles regarding the executive. The report proceeds on the basic assumption that the constitution will recognise the principle that, subject to special conditions, responsibility for the Federal Government of Indie, will in fact rest upon the Indians themselves;

In the opinion, or the sub-committee a proper method of giving effect to this principle is the following: —All Dominion constitutions to provide that executive newer and authority shall be vested in the Crown or in the Governor-General as representing the Crown, and that there will be a Council of Ministers appointed by the Governor-General and holding office, at his pleasure.

It i= suggested that the instrumert of instructions should direct him to appoint those persons wlio command the confidence of the Legislatu-e and the Governor-General. The convention of inviting one Minister to form a Government and requesting him to submit a list of-his proposed colleagues should be followed, a3 those cliosen a≤ Ministers should possess the confidence of the Legislature.

It follows that they would retain office only so long as they retain that confidence. The e is also implied in their view that the Ministry are responsible collectively and that they stand or fall together. ItfTs admitted, however, that this broad statement of principle on responsible government at the centre will be- the ultimate achievement of the constitution now to be formed and requires some qualification. Not AU At One Step. There was general agreement in the Sub-Committee that the assumption by India of all the powers and responsibilities which hitherto rested on Parliament cannot be made at one step, and that during the period of transition, firstly, the Governor-General should be responsible for Defence and External Relations, including relations with the Indian States" outside the Federal sphere, and that, secondly, in certain circumstances that may arise outside the sphere of these subjects, the Governor-General must be at liberty to act on his own responsibility and must be given the powers necessary to implant his decisions. It is clear, however, that the Governor-General must be at liberty to select as Ministers responsible in the reserved sphere any persons he may himself choose as best fitted for the purpose and that on appointment they should hold Ministerial portfolios and acquire rights like other members of the audience in either Chamber of the Legislature.

With the position of Governor-General in relation "to his Cabinet i≤ to some degree involved the question whether the Governor-General himself should preside over the meetings of his Ministers in Sub-Committeea. The view is expressed that the better course would be to provide in his instructions that he should preside when he thought it desirable, leaving the matter to his discretion. It is, however, regarded as essential that the Governor-General should be kept at all times fully informed of the state of public affairs and have the right to call for any papers or information which are at his Ministers' disposal.

In the sphere or finance the SubCommittee regarded as , fundamental conditions of success thai in the newConstitution no room should be left for doubts a≤ to the ability of India to maintain her financial stability both at home and abroad. It should, therefore, be necessary to reserve to the GovernorGeneral such essential powers would enable him to intervene if methods were beinsr pursued which would prejudice In.lia in the money markets of the world. Powers of Reserve Bank. The sub-committee recommends that efforts be made to establish on a sure foundation and free from any political influence a≤ early as possible a Beserve Bank to be entrusted with the management of currency and exchange and with the same object provision should be made requiring the Governor-General's previous sanction to the introduction of a bill dealing with, coinage. The sub-committee recognises that it may be difficult under existing conditions to set up a Reserve Bank immediately and that therefore special provision" will be necessary in the meantime to give the Governor-General adequate control for the purposes of mo;: tarv policy and currency. They assume also that the Governor-General will continue to have the right of refusing his absent to legislative measures a-nd of returning a "bill for consideration, and subject to any instruction issued to the Governor-General that existing powers as to reservations and disallowan-cc-will remain. In the event of a breakdown of the Constitution adequate powers must be invested "with the Governor-General for the purpose of enabling the King-'s Government to be cari ried on. The Sub-Committee suggests that for the purpose of securing greater stability ;to the Executive. Ministers should not be compelled to resign unless there were ■an adverse vote of two-thirds of both ' ..-hambers sitting together.