INDIA SETTLING DOWN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 12 May 1927, Page 9

INDIA SETTLING DOWN

REFORMS ACCEPTED

That the political situation in India has stabilised materially .during the last three years is the opinipif of Mr. E. N. AVebb, a graduate of the Canterbury College School of Engineering who has returned to- Christchurch after" three and a half years in the East. He .states that, notwithstanding the outcry at first against the MontagueChelmsford reforms brought in by the British Commission, peace and security have been restored to Bengal. The disturbances of a. year ago were the outcome of inter-oommunal strife between Hindus and Maliomniedan*, and had nothing to do with the reforms, says the “Lyttelton Times.” “In general, the longer one resides in India, the less one is disposed to dogmatise concerning its politics,” said Mr. AYebb. “However, my general impression# is that the situation in India lias stabilised materially during the last three ye a is. Four years ago, ! when the Montague-Ohelmsford reforms first came into force, a great deal of unrest was caused because several political factions saw in them an excellent opportunity of making political j capital. As a consequence, several extremist parties arose, foremost among them being the Swarajist. “The reforms provided for the gradaul Indianisation of the services and the ultimate bringing in of complete home rule for India. Certain subjects were definitely transferred to Indian Ministers of all provinces, and the operation of the regime was to be reviewed in 1929. In the early days of the reforms evt.re mists had the i dea tlhat Great Britain could be coerced into making additional concessions before the end of this trial period, but when it became clear that no extension of the powers already conferred would be made, before the end of the term, the Indians settled down. They appear to be making an honest’ effort to work the reforms as intended.

“Unrest, which was not unexpected, had its roots in Bengal, and was evidently dealt with by the enactment of a special ordinance by which persons suspected of sedition or anarchistic tendencies were subjected to a trial in camera by a special tribunal. . This prevented the names of persons giving evidence being known, and. prevented bodily harm to witnesses by sympathisers with the subject. “Prior to tins, when prisoners were examined in the ordinary way, witnessets were done to death or removed with no explanation. As a result of the operation of these emergency regulations, about 100 Bengalese and others were placed under restraint, and more than half of them are still in detention. On the other hand, peace and security have been restored to Bengal, and this operates a great deal more for the benefit of the Indian than for the limited number of Europeans. The people support the Government substantially. and appreciate the necessity for drastic measures. ”