CHANGING INDIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 285, 1 December 1934, Page 15

CHANGING INDIA.

CLERGYMAN'S VIEWS. FIFTEEN; YEARS' PROGBESS. FILLING OFFICIAL POSTS. The, "Indianisation" of India is one of the most striking features of the last 15 years in, that country, according to the Rev. William Hayward, who, with Mrs. Hayward, is visiting New Zealand before returning to his missionary work in India. In an interview with a reporter of the "Press" in Christchurch, Mr. Hayward said that when he went to India 14 years ago 95 per cent of the Government and official posts were in the hands of Europeans; now 70 per cent of such positions are filled by Indians. This, said Mr. Hayward, was largely the outcome of the "India for the Indians" movement, to which England had given way to a very great degree. It was only natural that as education in the country became more -general tliere should be a demand /for a greater share of the administrative- positions, and on the whole they were being filled liy capable; honest and cultured men. ilr. Hayward mentioned that when the Governor of Madras was acting-Viceroy, | for six months the- positijn of Governor was held by a Mohammedan. Progress of the Church. Tlie respect in which the English are held, however, is constantly made- manifest, said Mr. Hayward. The mayors and councils of most cities are Indian, but "hen there was a dispute between, two factions regarding the appointment of the Mayor of Madras, the rival parties compromised by appointing an Englishman. India, ho said, had suffered from tiie depression, but to a much smaller extent than many of the "young" 'ountrios. Wages, were low, but so was the cost of tho necessaries of life, and t lie needs of the people were not, on the whole, great. Mr. Hayward said that the Christian Church was undoubtedly -iiiakingi progress in India. Whereas at ime time only the lower orders came under the influence of the Church, many of the highest caste and the best educated were now professing Christianity. The Doniakal diocese, in Central India, had its own Indian bishop, a fine alia highly-cultured man, and its own clergy, i'.iul was entirely self-supporting. In the south tho Timievelley diocese, with its I"ii.ooo.Christian Indians, was also prac''"ally self-supporting.

« Gandhi's . Waning Influence." "Gandhi still has ! a great amount of influence in India, but it is fast waning, said Mr. Hay ward. "In 1920, when I 'arrived in India, crowds of from 50,000 to 100,000 gathered to see him. He was an uncrowned king. Now his comings and goings create only a. mild interest; He is still • venerated as a saint, and to a certain extent a martyr, but he has not the hold over the people that he once had." Mr. Hayward said he believed liis decline was attributable, apart from his age, to the unwise promises of home rule held out by Gandhi's supporters. "If he had worked for social reform Gandhi's life would have been a great one," said Mr. Hayward, "but he concentrated throughout on politics. He undoubtedly caught the imagination of the whole people, and might have had an enormous influence for good.