INDIA, HER PROBLEMS AND IDEALS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24345, 25 August 1944, Page 2

INDIA, HER PROBLEMS AND IDEALS

‘The Indian people are going through a serious crisis, a crisis that has portents. and I feel that I would like to spread among New Zealanders who have a large measure of goodwill and friendship towards India, some inlormation about the Indian outlook and the problems and ideals of her people,” said the Rev. H. Newell, addressing a morning meeting of the Travel Club at Ballantynes yesterday. Mr Newell is an Englishman, who spent 13 years in India as headmaster of two Indian high schools, and since he left the country he has maintained contacts with many of his former pupils and their parents. Yesterday Mr Newell invited his listeners to consider three points about India. First, he asked them tp school themselves to the idea that India has an existence altogether apart from the British Empire, that she is a nation with ancient culture, history, and tradition that date back to 2000 8.C., before Europe was civilised. Mr Newell said that if Britain was to do her part in India, she would require a new heart, a new point of view. Admittedly. Britain, as Lord Halifax recently explained in America, had done much for India in stamping out pestilence, establishing courts of justice, building roads, and bridges; but India feared that, what she valued most, her soul, would die. just as her native handicrafts are dying, and her cncient languages falling into disuse. L?st. the two countries must think in terms of humanity: they must cultivate a spirit of mutual respect and equality. The leading men of India, Mr Newell said, were estimable men of skill and ability: they had a warm regard for the people of Britain, but wefe hostile to imperialism. Before the address, songs were sung by Mr V. H. Reid, with Mrs R. S. Storie as accompanist. Mrs H. A. Young and Mrs S. C. Novell were hostesses and an unusually large number of visitors were present.