NO CHANGE FOR WORSE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 32, 6 August 1930, Page 9

NO CHANGE FOR WORSE

BOYCOTT IN BOMBAY

SERIOUS ECONOMIC EFFECT

• British Official Wireless. (Received 6ta August, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, sth August. . The Government of India's appreciation of the situation up to last Saturday states that, subject to the comments given below, there has been no change during the week, and the improvement manifested during the past few weeks is maintained. In Waziristan the settlement with various Mahsud sections is proceeding very , satisfactorily. On the northern border of tho Peshawar district the situation has reniaiued somewhat obscure throughout tho week, but there has been no overt act of hostility. There is no change in tho situation in Bannu city, in the North-west Frontier province. The process "of disarming disaffected portions of the rural area has continued throughout tho week. During the week it has been necessary to apply the Prevention of Intimidation Ordinance to tho central provinces,' where picketing has become more intensive and methods more forcible. The Unlawful Instigation Ordinance, which makes penal instigation to non-payment of land revenue and other dues, has been applied to the United Provinces, where Congress propaganda has been carried on- in some villages. Tho breach of the forest laws appears.to be extending in the central provinces and in the Bombay Presidency, and in some places it has been accompanied by wilful damage to standing trees. The picketing of schools and colleges continues in some towns, and in Calcutta has necessitated the successive postponement of certain law examinations. Generally, however, this part of tho Congress programme does not appear to be achieving any considerable success. The position in Gujerat continues to improve. More village officers have withdrawn their resignations, and in several districts the collection of land revenue is proceeding better than was expected. MILLS CLOSING DOWN. The economic position in Bombay City is deteriorating. On Ist August six mills closed down, involving 13,000 operatives, and it is anticipated that other mills will close in the early future owing to inability to finance further production. The economic effects of the civil disobedience movement are not confined to Bombay, although they are, perhaps, most pronounced in that city. In Amritsar, which is an important centre of the piece goods trade, the ban on foreign goods has resulted in the locking up of a very large amount of capital, with the inevitable consequences that trade finance is seriously affected, and that the movement of Indian-made goods is impeded. It is reported that the sales of piece goods dropped in the month of June from an average of 25 lakhs to 2 lakhs. The Madras Government reports that in several places a large number of weavers has been thrown out of employment owing to the civil disobedience movement. The operation of economic forces may be expected to encourage increasing opposition to the continuance of the movement. Subject to the above remarks, the position in the various provinces is as stated in last week's, appreciation.