TIMES V. INDIAN VICEROY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 132, 5 June 1915, Page 10

TIMES V. INDIAN VICEROY.

The proposed Executive Council for tho United Provinces of India was opposed by the House of Lords, whereupon the Viceroy of India (Lord Hardinge) expressed regret that "a small body of Peers," not versed in Indian progress, should act contrary to the Government and public opinion of India. He said : "The principle of executive councils has taken root in India, and cannot now be eradicated." "We regret," writes The Times, "that Lord Hardinge has permitted himself to make a public denunciation at Delhi of the recent action of the House of Lords regarding tho proposed Executive Council for the United Provinces. No Viceroy of India has, to our knowledge, ever addressed a similar admonition to either House of Parliament." It speaks of "an act of constitutional impropriety such as is presented by a Viceroy of India, in Council assembled, calling upon the Government to deprive Parliament of the very salutary powers which they themselves conferred." "Tho whole hubbub arises because the House of Lords has exercised a certain right of veto," adds The Times. "It 'was not an ancient right. It was specially conferred upon each House only five years ago by this vcy Government. The House of Lords exercised it and postponed the whole matter until after the war, because, the Government having been reluctantly forced to reveal the facts, it was discovered that a powerful section of the Viceroy's own colleagues, as well as influential factors in the province concerned, wore opposed to the measure. Tt was to meet such cases that the veto was instituted."