SIR HARI SINGH

Evening Star, Issue 18808, 5 December 1924, Page 3

SIR HARI SINGH

ACTING MAHARAJA OF KASHMIR. TRUSTED BY BRITISH. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, December 3. Sir Hari Singh is a son of the late Genera! Raja, Sir Amar Singh, and the adopted son of Sir Pratab Singh, ruler of Kashmir, who is seventy-four years of age. Sir Hari Singh is respected and trusted, as he is strongly pro-British, lie was only twenty-four when lie committed the folly which brought him into the limelight. Tho ‘ Daily Chronicle ' says he is a man of gentle manners, refined, and reserved, fie speaks English fluently, and is widely travelled and well read. The efficiency of the Kashmir army, of which Sir Hari is Commaiuler-in-Ghief, is largely due to his personal care, lie came to England in 1919. He was received by the King at Sandringham in May, and by the Prince of Wales at St. James’s Palace hi December, just before he went to Paris with Airs Bnhinson. The ‘ Daily Express ’ states that the India Office removed the embargo on the identity of Sir Hari Singh owing to a number of protests from the riding .Maharajas against the secrecy, which lias given rise to minors very damaging and cruel to the ruling princes. The Maharajas urged Lord Birkenhead (Secretary of State for India) that the ordinary procedure should he followed, and “ Mr A’s ” name published. It is recalled that . the Gaekwar of Baroda was _ najned as co.respondent in a divorce suit .in 1911, and his name was given publicity at the time, though a prince was not held answerable in the courts. Sir Pratab Sirigh, owing to Ids health, delegates most of his official duties to. Sir Hari Singh, who is acting Maharaja. He maintains a large racing stable and has a private cricket ground, being a first-rate cricketer. When' in England in 1919 hc > travelled with a full retinue of court officials. —A. and N.Z. Cable. [The State of Kashmir is in the northernmost portion of India. The hulk of the population are Mohammedans, though the ruling family is Hindu, 'the area of the State is 79,784 square miles, and the population is 3.000,000.] WHY IDENTITY WAS WITHHELD. VARIOUS REASONS GIVEN. LONDON. December 3. The disclosure of the identity ol “ Mr A ’’ remains the sensation of the day. All the newspapers are publishing striking photographs and columns of descriptive matter. Many journals at the conclusion of the Robinson trial commented or. Hie unwisdom of attempting to conceal Ids identity, and several returned to the subject tins morning, the ‘ Daily t'lirordclo,’ for instance, saying that concealment is dangerous in principle and impolitic in practice, because secrecy is valueless unless it is permanent, and there was no prospect whatever of maintaining it permanently in this instance. Speculation as to why secrecy was at first insisted upon is increased by the India Office’s intimation that reasons of State ” no longer exist ; hut apart from tho ‘Daily Express s reference to the protests from the Maharajas in India it is suggested (hat the internal political situation in Kashmir rendered concealment most desirable.

A writ t'v in the ‘ Daily Chronicle affirms t lint tin? a god Maharaja ol Kashmir is a stlift 1 y orthodox Hindu, spending much time daily in prayer and meditation, and it "'as hoped to save him from pain and anxiety by the exclusion of Sir Hari Singh's name. It is also stated that the Maharaja a few years ago was obliged for religions reasons to adopt a youth belonging to his family as a son., as it is necessary for a pious Hindu to have a son to perform the last offices and to oiler the appointed sacrifice at the time of his death. It is not inconceivable therefore that it was considered undesirable to risk disturbing the relations involving the succession which have existed hitherto between the Maharaja and his nephew in view of the latter's friendliness to Britain. Another reason, which is less complicated, is the report that Sir Mari s attendance is essential for the purpose of the pending prosecution, which might otherwise he abortive, since the question of what influenced him to part with the money can only be elucidated by direct evidence, whieh be alone is able to give. _ Altogether it seems that Sir Hari is receiving move publicity now than l.e would have done if his name bad been mentioned in the ordinary way in the course of the Robinson trial. The ‘ Daily Herald ’ says : “According to a correspondent who has just come from India, the reason why the Government tried to hide Sir Hari Singh’s identity is perfectly clear to anyone who is familiar with the situation in Kashmir. Sir Prafab Singh, who is aged, has not a high opinion of his nephew, and has been anxious to adopt a son who would become heir to his estates and throne. This, the Delhi Government was anxious to_ prevent ; but it found the old Maharaja by no means pliable, and it fears may nominate a, successor of a temper like, bis own instead of a wealthy young gentleman who prefers the civilisation of Hurope to his native hills, and who would thus be, easier to manage. Sir Pratab refuses to allow the railway to bo extended to his capital.” An Indian correspondent of the * Daily Chronicle ’ says : “ Sir Hari Singh is an enlightened prince, who encourages Kashmir°to adopt modern ideas of transport, education, and sanitation.” —A. and N.Z. Cable.