LABOUR POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17, 21 January 1931, Page 7

LABOUR POLICY.

INDIA'S FUTURE.

Long-Awaited Statement by

Mr. Mac Donald.

HOPES FOR FEDERATION.

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, January 20,

The long-awaited statement of the Government on its policy regarding India was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, at the close of the final plenary session of the Round Table Conference on Monday.

It says: "The view of the Government is that responsibility for the government of India should be placed upon the Legislatures, Central and Provincial, with such provisions as are necessary to guarantee during the period of transition the observance of certain obligations, and to meet other special circumstances, and also with such guarantees as are required by the minorities to protect their political liberties and rights.

"In such statutory safeguards as may be made for meeting the needs of the transitional period it will be the primary concern of the British Government to see that the reserved powers are so framed and.exercised as not to prejudice the advance of India through the new Constitution to full responsibility for her own government.

"The Government, while making this declaration, is aware that some of the conditions essential to the working of such a Constitution as is contemplated have not been finally settled, but believes that as a result of the work done here they have been brought to a point which encourages the hope that further negotiations after tliis declaration will be successful.

"The Government has taken note of the fact that the deliberations of the conference have proceeded on a basis accepted by all parties, that the Central Government should be a federation of all India, embracing both the Indian States and British India in a Federal Legislature. The precise form and' structure of the new Federal Government must be determined after further discussion with the Princes and representatives of British India. "The' British Government will bo prepared to recognise the principle of the responsibility of the executive to the Legislature under the existing conditions. Th© subjects of defence and external affairs will be reserved to the GovernorGeneral, and arrangements will be made to place in his hands the powers necessary for the administration of those subjects.

"Moreover, as the Governor-General must in the last resort be able in an emergency to maintain the tranquillity of the State, and must similarly be responsible for the observance of the constitutional rights of the minorities, he must be granted the necessary power for those purposes.

Financial Responsibility. "As regards finance, the transfer of financial responsibility must necessarily be subject to such conditions as will ensure the' fulfilment of obligations incurred under the authority of the Secretary of State for India, and the mainten: ance unimpaired of the financial stability and credit of India. Subject to these provisions, the Indian Government would have full financial responsibility for the methods of raising the revenue and for control of expenditure on the nonreserved services.

"This will mean that under the existing conditions the Central Legislature and executive will have some features of dualism, which will have to be fitted into the constitutional structure.

"The Governor's Provinces will be constituted on a basis of full responsibility. Their Ministries will be taken from the Legislature, and will be jointly responsible to it. Provincial subjects will be so defined as to give them the greatest possible measure of self-government.

"The authority of the Federal Government will be limited to the provisions required to secure its administration of the federal subjects defined in the Constitution as of All-India concern. There will be reserved to the Governor only that minimum of special powers which is required in order to secure in exceptional circumstances the preservation of tranquillity, and to guarantee the maintenance of the rights provided by statute for the public service and the minorities.

"Finally, the Government considers that the institution in the Provinces of responsible government requires both that the Legislatures should be enlarged and that they should be based on a more liberal, franchise. In framing the Constitution thei Government considers that it will be its duty to insert provisions guaranteeing to the various minorities, in addition to political representation, that differences of religion, race, sect or caste' shall not in themselves constitute civic disabilities.

"In the opinion of the Government it is the duty of the communities to come to an agreement among themselves on the points raised by the Minorities SubCommittee, but not settled here. During the continuing negotiations such an agreement ought to be reached, and the Government will rontinue to render what good offices it can.

"The Government will consider without delay a plan by which its co-opera-tion may be continued, so that the results of our completed work may be seen in the new Indian Constitution. If, in the meantime, there is a response to the Viceroy's appeal to those engaged at present in civil disobedience, and others, to co-operate on the general lines of this declaration, steps will be taken to enlist their services."