AS IRELAND'S.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 73, 28 March 1933, Page 7

AS IRELAND'S.

CLAIMS OF INDIA. BRITISH PROPOSALS. Scheme Aimed At Ultimate Self-Government. THREE-DAY DEBATE STARTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, March 27. Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary for India, opened a three-day debate on the Government's proposals regarding the future constitution of India. He emphasised that Parliament must remember the history of the last century, and that year after year India had been led to believe iri the continuous bestowal of due instalments of constitutional progress. The outstanding conclusion of the Simon report was\the acceptance of the fact that great changes were now inevitable and the Government proposed to concentrate upon the essentials and to define responsibility. They agreed that it was quite essential that executive Government, both in the centres and in the provinces, should be strong, and the White Paper contained a comprehensive scheme to that effect. They had tried to give the fullest possible scope to Indian aspirations. The safeguards introduced were believed to be necessary in the interests of stable Government. Labour Condemnation. Major Attlee (Lab., Limehouse), following Sir Samuel Hoare, said that Labour desired to see the successive pledges given to India carried out. He reaffirmed the right of the Indian people to full self-government and equality with other members of the British Commonwealth. The White Paper seemed in a direct conflict with earlier pledges and appeared to be designed to placate Mr. Churchill and his followers. The safeguards went beyond the necessities, and the whole idea of Dominion status had gone eveii as the ultimate goal. In effect India would only get a dvnarcliy which he and his colleagues on the Simon Commission condemned. Sir Herbert Samuel said that the Liberals thought it was the duty of the House of Commons to show that the solid mass of responsible British opinion behind the proposals, as in the main was European opinion in India. Britain in relation to India was now in much the sanie position as she was towards Ireland when self-government was first proposed in 188fi. "If we missed the present opportunity in India there might be rebellion and bloodshed as there has been in Ireland." The debate was adjourned. Churchill to Lead Opposition. Mr. Winston Churchill will lead a ■ vigorous attack on the whole plan on . behalf of the Conservative group known i as the "India Defence Committee," but I the terms of the Government's motion L will prevent him carrying out his plan r to lead 50 Conservatives into the lobbies I against the Government. i This motion has taken Mr. Churchill's 1 group by surprise as it only seeks approval of the appointment of a Select Committee of both Houses to report upon the plan, not immediate approval of the scheme itself. The "Daily Telegrapli" Parliamentary correspondent predicts that the Government will have an impressive majority if there is a challenge to a division on Wednesday.

CHAMBER OF PRINCES.

FEDERATION ADVOCATED. CALCUTTA, March 27. The Chamber of Princes at a meeting iu New Delhi passed a resolution declaring that the entry of the Indian Princes into the proposed federation was conditional on their rights being safeguarded under the new constitution. The Princes expressed themselves as being ready to continue further negotiations in London in this connection. The Maharajah of Bikaner, in a striking speech, urged his colleagues not to reject the federation scheme which he said would impiwe their future status. They need not fear that the growth of influence of the democracy would menace their sovereign rights.

OFFICIAL SHOT DEAD.

INDIAN TERRORIST BULLETS. (Received 10.30 a.m.) CALCUTTA, March 27. Terrorists shot dead an Indian police sub-inspector in the Patiya district, the most notorious hotbed of revolutionaries in the Chittagong area, where Captain Cameron was shot dead last June.