INDIA.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18671, 21 April 1926, Page 11

INDIA.

COMMENT ON "REFORMS." NEW ZEALANDER COMES HOME. (srECIAL to "TH« PSISS.") AUCKLAND, April 20. India is not yet ready for the responsibility of self government, in the opinion of Mr S. N. Ziuian. of Auckland, New Zealand Rhodes Scholar in 1908, who arrived by the Remuera irom England iast evening. From Oxford 1 niverMiy Mr Ziman went to India, where he became a member of the Civil Service, and iu recent years has been secretary to the Government of Bombay in the Department which deals with local government and education. This position carried with it a seat on the Legislative Council. After l-l yearn in the service Mr Ziman has resigned, and he retires on pension to take up his residence in the Dominion. "Self government is no substitute for good government," Mr Ziman said in summing up his view of the present position in India The position of a member of the Indian Civil Service often became extremely difficult, he said, because of divided allegiance. It would be found that he would have to carry out the orders of an Indian • Legislature, or of an Indian Minister, while feeling that the course being pursued was not in the best interests of the Indian people. He could not say that many serious cases of the nature occurred, but the tendency shown in minor matters was disturbing. Part of the charm of the Indian service was the feeling that one was doing good, said Mr Ziman, but whan one was not quite sure of this, mere ambition, and the advantage of a snug billet, wero not sufficient compensation for the. disadvantages of life_in the East. "Gradual Deterioration." "So far nothing untoward has occurred in India as the result of the Legislative reforms," he continued, "for on the whole the country is quiet and moderately happy. But there are signs of a gradaal deterioration in the government of the country owing to the general lack of efficiency, in • all the Government services particularly. "As against the older system, the compensating advantages of democratic institutions, as being more in sympathy with the aspirations of the people, have not appeared. This may be due largely to the fact that only 4 per cent, of the people can read or write even their own names. I feel that there is no likelihood of Government of India by the people for many decades, and certainly not until the necessary education and experience indemocratic institutions have been gained. This must come gradually, and any attempt to force the pace is more likely to do harm "than good." Problem of Education. [. The main difficulty, : added Mr Zi- ■ man, was that India was a poor country, and education was expensive. The size of the country and its ■ huge population of about 350,000,000 people made the financial aspect of education alone very difficult. During the last 100 years the deyoted labours of the Englishmen who had governed India had been directed towards fitting the people for self government, and thoie [among them who opposed the immediate granting of democratic government did so, not becaurfa they were opposed to it in principle, but because they felt the country was not sufficiently prepared to ensure the success of the experiment. In any case experiments of this kind were dangerous, for the reason that to go back' in the event of failure was usually impossibly. Mr Ziman said it was his intention from the first vo return to New Zealand, and he now proposed to settle in the country with the object of engaging in some public service. He w'as a, New Zealander, and he felt.that as. a Rhodes scholar he owed much to the Dominion, and he wanted to do something to repay that debt.