The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1932. BURMA’S CONSTITUTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1932. BURMA’S CONSTITUTION.

The recently completed Burma round table conference appears to have succeeded, where that in connection with India has failed, in evolving a repont. which records the opinion of all panties represented and registers « substantial measure of agreement. The delegates have, moreover, in . a formal resolution expressed hope unit it will .service the purpose for which they were called together. That purpose was described by Lord Peel, who presided over the discussions, as that of finding the greatest possible measure of agreement on the question ch the Constitution. The particulars

are not available, but it is probauw, in the light of what was stated initially by its chairman, that the Conference has not gone very deeply into the question of the financial consequences of the separation of Burma from India or into technical questions such os .arrangement* for the defence of Burma and the formulation or « itrade convention with India. It seems to have been accepted on all sides that the Burmans would never acquiesce permanently in being governed "by a self-governed India. The separation of their country from India, recommended by the Montagu-Chelms-ford Report, by the Statutory Commission, and by the Government of India, received the approval in principle of the Indian Conference, and was announced, before the Burma Conference began, to be the policy of the British Government. This separation means that the Viceroy of India will cease to have any official responsibility towards Burma, which wnl have a Governor of her own not subordinate to the Viceroy. “It m clear,” it was observed in the Simon Report on India, “that the separation should he so carried out as to furnish to the Burnian people a guarantee of the status which their new Government would occupy and at tne same time facilitate the handling of problems in which India and Burma return a close common concern, suc-h a, s defence and recruitment of their respective civil services.” The Simon Commission recognised the strength of Rurman sentiment in favour of an independent status, and the constitutional difficulty of giving to Burma a satisfactory place in*- any centralised system designed to advance the i'eitl--1 sat ion of responsible government *1 British India. In contrast to India> when? the divisions of the population are go numerous that the minorities problem has thus far been the great stumbling-block to agreement respecting constitutional reform, the homogeneity of Burma is that country’s most striking characteristic. The Burman, being a Buddhist, recognises none of the social divisions of caste and custom erected by Brabminism. Class antagonism is said to be notably absent among the people, and the women of Burma occupy a position of freedom and independence- that is noit enjoyed in India. The total population of Burma now exceeds 13,000,000, of whom Indians comprise less than seven per cent. It is a hopeful sign that the Conference which has been discussing' the future destiny of the country has been able to reach, without undue delay, an harmonious conclusion, and the note of loyalty to the Throne upon which it has ended is welcome. It remains (to be seen whether the report of the Conference embodies really practical proposals for a working constitution, guch as would spell the advancement of Burma towards self-government as a unit or the British Empire, that could be carried into early effect.