CONCLUSIVE VOTE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 75, 21 December 1934, Page 11

CONCLUSIVE VOTE

House of Lords on India

Policy

WAY NOW CLEAR FOR BILL

British Official Wireless.

Rugby, December 19.

By a majority of nearly four to one the House of Lords last night endorsed the Government’s policy on the new Constitution of India. The vote was exceptionally large for the Upper House, and the motion was carried by 239 votes to 62 —a result which came as a jileasant surprise to Government supporters. As last week the House of Commons passed the Government’s motion by 410 votes to 127, the )yay is now clear for the introduction of the Government’s Indian Bill, which will be given its formal first reading this week. One peculiarity of the votes was that in the House of Commons the Labour Party was included in the minority of 127', whereas in the House of Lords the Labour Peers abstained from voting.

“The Times” welcomes "so conclusive a result, if only because of its material effect on public opinion both in Britain and in India. A smaller margin would have sufficed, but it might have been misunderstood.” Regarding the Labour Party’s attitude, “The Times” remarks that there is no reason to suppose they will obstruct the reforms, and recalls speeches by Labour members, including Major Attlee, who signed the Simon Report, and by Mr. Cook, who last week made an eloquent appeal to India to work for the scheme. The Liberals, it is pointed out, were united in supporting the Government, and of the Conservatives in the House of Commons 334 voted for the policy of the report and 77 against—the latter being a. figure sufficient to encourage them in their opposition to the Government Bill.

The conclusion of “The Tinies” is that “two exhaustive debates, following seven years* of hard investigation, have invested the Government policy at last with an unimpeachable mandate from the Imperial Parliament.”

READ A FIRST TIME

Bill on India in Commons

British Official Wireless.

Rugby, December 19.

Sir Samuel Iloare. Secretary ot State for India, formally introduced in the House of Commons a Bill to make further provision for the government of India.

The Bill was read a first time.