CALMER INDIA

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 66, 11 December 1930, Page 11

CALMER INDIA

Report of Government SEPARATION PROBLEM Announcement Wanted Brit'sh Wireless. Rugby, December 9. The Government of India’s weekly review of the situation in India says that hope alternates with anxiety as to the outcome of the Round Table Conference, but the. feeling is growing that it represents a very important constructive effort, meriting the goodwill of all with the interests of India at heart. Regarding events in India, the review says that in the United Provinces the agitation is more or less normal, and meetings and processions have lost much of their previous attraction. In the countryside the people are friendly, but anxious, as in most of the other provinces, about the difficulties in selling produce. Burma’s Separation. The Burma Sub-committee has passed a resolution asking that His Majesty’s Government should make a public announcement regarding the acceptance of the principle of separation, and stating that the prospects of the constitutional advance of Burma as part of British India toward responsible Government will not be prejudiced by separation of the two countries. It should be explained in this connection that the Government preserves an open mind regarding the nature of Burma’s future constitution, and that the matter will be considered by the Round Table Conference which, it has been suggested, should meet in London for the purpose at a later date, and at which contemplated representatives of all classes and interests in Burma would have a chance to express freely their opinions on the constitutional issue. Wishes of Princes. In the Federal Structure Sub-com-mittee the greater part of the time today was occupied by an important discussion on Federal legislation. The Princes further explained their views, emphasising that they, like their fellow-Indians, had only one ideal, namely, a united India with government of India by Indians. Hitherto the States have shown a preference for a general Federal Legislature. They now announced that if one House was unacceptable to British India, they were prepared to accept the principle of two Houses, and that British India could take its choice. On the assumption that there were two Houses, the States would come into both, but as equal co-partners desiring an equal voice. Regarding administration, the States took the view that the Federal Government should be confined to the exercise of general supervision, and the hope was expressed that there would be no residual subjects in the sense of their being central British Indian subjects, as distinct from Federal subjects. Constitution Difficulty. The sub-committee is now virtually ready to begin the discussion of the difficult question of constitution, char acter, and powers and responsibilities of the Executive, and will probably take up this subject early next week. It is generally agreed that the progress made is highly satisfactory, and beyond the expectations of the delegates a week ago.

The Provincial Constitutional Subcommittee during to-day’s meeting discussed whether a second Chamber should be set up by statute, or left to the individual choice of the provinces, and the general sense was In favour of the latter course. The committee adjourned until Friday, when a draft report will be considered, preparatory to presentation to a general meeting of the Conference early next week.