PEACE IN INDIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1934, Page 7

PEACE IN INDIA

ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENTS [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, April 17. Evidence of the falling off of civil disobedience in India was given in the House of Commons, when Sir Samuel Hoare stated that the local Governments had for the past year been releasing persons convicted of civil disobedience, before the expiration of their sentences, when satisfied that their release was not likely to encourage a revival of the movement. As a result, the number of prisoners, which at the end of April, 1932, was approximately 32,500, had fallen at the end of last month to about 1450, of whom over 600 were in Bombay. Sir Samuel Hoare added that this policy would be continued, and if civil disobedience was called off effectively, he hoped that it would be possible to expedite the releases. Although civil disobedience, as an organised effort, had ceased to exist, it had not been openly entirely suspended. “The Times” points out that this must be done before the Government of India will be in a position to review their future attitude to Congress. The next move, therefore, rests with the Congress Party. Should it endorse Ghandi’s recommendation, to abandon civil disobedience, the decision will foreshadow a ijeturn to constitutional methods, which is viewed in political circles as a definite step forward.