INDIAN CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 121, 18 November 1931, Page 9

INDIAN CONFERENCE

EESPONSE TO APPEAL

DELEGATES TO DISCUSS

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, 16th November.

The position of the Indian Round Table Conference look a more hopeful turn to-day, and it now seems certain that the final plenary session will not take place this week. Three questions upon which the delegates' views have not been expressed, namely, the army and external affairs, commercial discrimination, and finance, are now under discussion ill the Federal Structure Committee. This favourite development was made possible by the response to an appeal by Lord Sankoy at to-day's meeting, supported by Lord Reading, Mr. Wedgwood Bonn, and the Prime Minister. " . Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald emphasised the Government's very strong desire to hear an expression of delegates' opinion. SAFEGUARDING POSITION. He understood, he said, that there was some leluctanco ou the part of the committee as a whole to discuss these questions until . the communal settlement was achieved. The position could, however, be safeguarded by making it clear that the delegates wero speaking ■with all reserve pending a settlement of other" matters. The Government would be very disappointed indeed if these subjects were not discussed. After an adjournment, during which the Moslem 'delegation was consulted, the spokesman said he was authorised to agree to a discussion with the reservation that' until the Moslem demands and safeguards wero incorporated in the Constitution it would not bo acceptable .'to them. ' ~* Six Muhammad Shaft endorsed this view and Lord Sankcy congratulated them on the conciliatory spirit they had shown. Dr. Ambedkar on behalf of the depressed classes agreod to proceeding with the discussion subject to a similar reservation.

Sardar Ujjal Singh and Mr. Gavin .Tones also agreed that the working of the committee should proceed uninterruptedly in the hope of reaching an agreement on the most difficult problem later.

The chairman then called on Sir Tej Sapru to speak on tho army and external relations.

The discussion then proceeded' and ivill be continued to-morrow.