INDIAN REFORM

Evening Star, Issue 21935, 23 January 1935, Page 7

INDIAN REFORM

BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S BILL A BULKY MEASURE (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, January 22. (Received January 23, at noon.) The Government of India Bill, which is framed on the general lines of the scheme for constitutional reform in India, will be issued on Thursday 7. It contains over 400 clauses, and is the bulkiest known to have been introduced into Parliament. Except on exceedingly rare occasions does a Bill contain over 200 clauses. Three days will be devoted to its second reading in the House of Commons in mid-February. The Government hopes that it will be possible to secure a friendly arrangement for the allocation of time acceptable to all sections of opinion in the House for discussion in the later stages without recourse to an imposed time-table. ALLEGATIONS REFUTED, The Viceroy (Lord Willingdon), when opening the session of the Chamber of Princes in New Delhi to-day, described as entirely and utterly baseless the allegations which had been made to the effect that he and his officers had brought pressure to bear on the princes in order to coerce them into federation against their walls. The Viceroy said it was only natural that the princes should postpone their final decision on the Reforms Bill until they had had an opportunity of studying the measure and the various draft details.

Lord Willingdon’s repudiation of the allegations were strongly supported by the Maharaja of Bikaner, DECLARATION BY PRINCES

NEW DELHI, January 22. (Received January 23, at 11.45 a.m.) The Chamber of Princes unanimously adopted the Maharaja of Patiali’s resolution “ that the Chamber reaffirms its previous declaration about the readiness of the States to accede to an AllIndia Federation, provided essential conditions and guarantees are embodied in the Constitution. The Chamber must, however, reserve opinion thereon until it examines its Parliamentary Bill.” The princes emphasise that success of federation depends entirely on the goodwill and co-operation of all parties. The princes unanimously requested the Viceroy to convey to His Majesty their unalterable devotion to the throne and their profound happiness on the completion of his twenty-five years’ beneficent reign.