GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 5

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

NEW PROPOSALS. IMPERIAL ANITpROVINCIAL ADVISORY COUNCILS. ■ Papers were isned by. tho Homo authorities on August 26 jointing to tho establishment of anlinponal Advisory Council and of Pronncial Advisory Councils in India, tho enlargement of tho Imperial and Provincial Legislative Councils, and .the discussion of the Budgets in the latter. In a circular, dated Sunk,-August 24, 1007, from the Secretary to the Government of India, Homo Department, to Local Governments and Administrations, it is explained that in a speech addressed to the Legislative Council on • . a [ 1, ' !a3t, tllc Viceroy announced that, with i tho object of satisfying the constitutional requirements of the Indian, Empiro, tho Government of India had, of their own initiative, taken into consideration the question of giving tho people of India wider opportunities of expressing their views on administrative matters. Tho Secretary of State for India has since intimated in hi 3 speech in the House of' Commons on the Indian Budget, that his Majesty's Government had examined the' proposals submitted to them by the Government, of India, and' have authorised the Governor-General in Cou'ncil to consult Local Governments and invite public opinion on this important subject. It seemed to the Government of India that the purnoses which they have in view, might possibly be;attained somewhat on'the lines of the following proposals :—'■-. ■ . '(1) That a council to be called'"The Imperial Advisory Council," should bo formed ,for purely consultative purposes; (2) .that all the members should bo appointed by the • Viyeroy,. ;and • should' receive tho title of "Imperial Councillors;" '(3)that the .council ■■ should consist of about sixty members; for the whole, of India, including about twenty ruling chiofs, and a suitalilo' number iof the territorial magnates of every province.where landholders'of*-'sufficient dignity and-'status are to be found; (4)that the members should hold office for a substantial term, • isay for five,years,, and .should; bo; eligible for reappbintment; (5) that the Clouncil should roceiye' no legislative recognition, and, should not ■ be vested with' formal powers of aiiy sort; (6) .that, its functions shoud bo purely advisory, and that it. should doal only with such matters as, might be specifically referred to it from time to tijap; (7) that the proceedings of tho Council when called 'together for collective;, consultation, should, : as/ a rule, • be private, informal, and confidential, and they would not bo published, although the Government, would bo at liberty to make any use of them'that lit thought proper. . ;.'.] The Government "of India believe that only confidential communications will securo frank interchange of opinion; but itliey:. are disposed to',think' that it might, bo advisable, after matters had boon thrashed but in confidential eonsTfltation, to provide- for .somo pnblic confcrpncoe,;at'.any rate on those occasions.Whon the :Goyernment desires to make its motives' and. intentions bottbr/ kriown, to correct' misstatements and to remoVe erroneous impressions.' • The main work of Indian- administration,. however, is carried on by. tho .various provincial governments, arid it appeared to tho Goverrior-Gcnoral iii; Coiinpil. 'desirable, that these should in likb manner, when tho local conditions admit, be furnished with a' selected body.of advisors, chosen upon a wider basis; whpm.it should bo understood that they "would consult upon air measures of importance .affecting the committed to their charge.' The'constitution proposed for .the. lmperial Advisory 1-.Council provides for the: appointment of members chosen with-re-feronce, to thoir status; and influence'..from ■ each of( tho provinces of British .India. These provincial members • of.;'tho Imperial Council; representing as a rulotho great landholder's of: the province to which* they\belong might, it is, thought, with advantage, form .the nucleus of a Provincial Advisory Council, which would 'discharge introspect". , of provincial questions, consultative','functions similar to those entrusted, to.tho'members of tho imperial Council..";■ The; Provincial Councils woud bo , of smaller-size than the Imperial Council, - .but their meriibbrship , would- bo large enough to enable-;a'll''interests of>importance 'to claim'.representation on suchi a body.,-' :/ . .;.,-..i . - .

The Government of India pass on to con-sider-how,tho principle of the representation of classes arid -int'erdsts; can .be , .given offect to '■■ in '■ the : ; Governor-Gcnoral's ■ > Legislativo Council. . They , suggest; that the Council might in futurp. be eenstituted'.on,the fol•Joivirig lines: ;—' '■./ '••' ' ':' ' ■ (1) The maximum strength ; of tho Council might bo 53,.0r,' including the Viceroy, ■ 54. (2) This number might be mado upHhus— ,(a);.ex bfficio tho LioutenantrGovemor. of Bengal (or of the' Punjab'when' tho Council assembles in Simla), the Coriiriiander-in-Chief,;and:the members of tho Executive Council, 8; (b)additional, officials to ,b» nomi-nated,-not- exceeding 20; (c) a rulirii 'chief to , be nominated by the" Viceroy,-1 ;((i) elected "members (l).by the' Chambers of ! Commerce of -Calcutta and Bombay; (2). by.tho non-official members of the Provincial-Coun-cils of Madras, Bombay, Bengal, East Bengal; and. Assam,.the; "United Provinces,"the Punjab, arid Burma,:-7;. (3) by tho nobles and tho great, landowners- of Bengal,: Eastern Bengal,,- and Aseam, ■ the United Provinces, the Punjab,' and the Cen'Provinces, 7j (4) by Mohamodans,. 2; non-officials nominated"by; the; Viceroy to represent minorities .of' special intorosts, not less than two,,to,.bojMohamcdans ; , 4; (o):.expe,rts. to be nominated' by, the, Viceroy .when necessary for. special "'-. purposes—total, -53, or.!' including 'His Excellency" the Viceroy, '54; -- ' " ;'■ • i '; : -" • '■■"'•' *■'■ ' ,: \\ ■".•.'•'■;• '■/■'■•■-,■'

. The scheiflo for the Imporial Legislative Council necessarily : omits several olements which' : may form part of the Provincial .Councils. Having regard to'the wide variety/of conditions in various parts of India, it, is improbable that any : one scheme will prpy.o. to.be cquafly adapted to all provinces, Tho,6overnnYent'of India do not wish to impose upon Provincial Governments any special lino of action in making proposal,' but thpx draw, attention to a scheme which has be^en, /suggested. to them for, the duo representation of cliisses in local Councils and Boards, , in which it is set out that tho local Gevenuoeni eholl determine how many seata , aria to;be filled by elected rer/resentatives ,of the.'most important olaeses ;into ; Trhich the population, of, the provinoe ie divided by, rabe; cesto, or religion, imd shall aHe-t thceo Beatß to tho eeroral chreseW ! I , :

;• ;In a telegram dated August 23,v19D7, tho Secretary of State for India'notifies .that he has. approved in Council the draft; letter wbich the Govornor-<Jeno'ral proposes!to address, to the local Governments, and adds that'\His. Majesty's Government trniit that the. success of these important measures may 'tie.: assured by the hearty coroperation of the ciaßses for whose benefit they aro designed.