INDIA TC-DAY

Matamata Record, Volume XIX, Issue 1751, 27 July 1936, Page 5

INDIA TC-DAY

VIVID WORD PICTURE Prominent Educationalist’s Address The New Federation of India Act A vivid word-picture of presentday conditions in India —the land of 750,000 villages—was given by the Rev. Morton Ryburn, principal of the Ivharar High School, Punjab, India, and a noted authority on education in that country, in an address to members of the Matamata Chamber of Commerce at the monthly luncheon last week.

Eight-nine per cent of the population of India lived in villages, said the speaker, and of this number 85 per. cent, were engaged in agricultural or allied industries. There was a certain amount of industrialism, principally near Bombay, where the products of the cotton mills were ousting similar British products from the markets, and near Calcutta where there were jute mills.

Perpetually in Debt

Many people had got the idea from reading history or other sources 'that India was a rich country; but while this might apply to the princes and a few landed proprietors, actually the villagers were very poor and lived in a state of perpetual- debt. The average income of the farmer was about 200 rupees, which was equivalent to about ,£22 of English money. Of this sum 20 to .25 per cent, went . in taxation.; therefore the farmer had no recourse but to go into debt. fkfmefs were in debt which on the average was three times the amount of their income. Thus the moneylender' was a feature of Indian village life—and a most unpleasantfeature. ; Example of Usury An example of the usury practised was a case in which a Mahomeaan lender had lent a farmer 20 rupees at 6 per cent, per month interest. After the farmer had paid 240 rupees in interest, the lender then demanded the interest. The farmer said he had not got it, so the lender applied: in his absence to the farmer’s .wife. On getting the same reply the lender beat up the farmer’s wife and daughter. When the farmer returned home and heard the story he proceeded to the moneylender’s home, over-powered the Mahomedan, tied him to a bed, and after pouring petrol over him burned him to death. This was typical of what happened when in a natural reaction against the system outbreaks occurred.

Farmers’ holdings were very fragmentary, as when a farmer died custom demanded that his farm be cut up among his sons. Such land was not always in one place and some was lost sight of as a result. Another factor which tended tc keep the villager poor was the habit of spending much money on various customs. Weddings were an example in which each vied with the other in making a display. Then the Indian wife demanded much jewellery, and the Indian loved litigation. A Lawyer’s Paradise India was a lawyer's paradise, and in one province alone there were 250,000 cases in the year. Such cases did not stop at the first case either and litigation had become to be known as the national sport. The Government was trying to remedy matters and had prevented lenders in Punjab taking land. However, this had resulted in the growth of a class of lender who owned land and so got round the law. In addition, the Government had started cooperative banks and stores, and if education on these lines spread it would save the country. An Illiterate People One of the barriers to progress in India was the lack of education. Only 11 per cent, of the population were literate, and in 40 years the percentage had only increased by 1 per cent. This result was extremely poor when compared with Russia, where the rulers were in earnest in regard to education. Illiteracy haa decreased in Russia in the same time from 65 per cent, to less than 10 per cent. The Indian Government was not yet in earnest in this matter.

Lack of education militated against progress, but the Government was endeavouring to increase knowledge of local self-government on certain lines. At the time of the early Ayrian invasions it was the custom to hold village councils to decide cases, and in mafiy districts

this system had survived till to-day. It was always amazing to outsiders how a judge got at the truth in dealing with a native case, when it it was always the practice for both parties to lie. However,, before the village council, where both parties were known and , also the .circumstances surrounding the case, the truth was generally told, .and .in consequence . the Government was endeavouring to re-establish the village council in areas where the custom had died out.

The New Act The new Federation Act was not welcomed by Hindoos. There were 352,000,000 inhabitants of India, of whom about 80,000,000 were Mahomedans. The latter were in a minority except in Punjab and Bengal, and, briefly, the underlying purpose of the British was the old one of “ divide and rule.” The Mahomedans and native princes were, generally speaking, in favour of the new Act and content to stay within the Empire provided they got Home Rule such as obtained in New Zealand. However, the Home Government was not prepared to go to this extent yet owing to its other interests which had to be considered. Under the Act representatives of the princes were nominated, while those of the people in British India were to be elected. This meant an ultraconservative block—a continuation of the old autocratic feudal system on the one hand, and a modern democratic block on the other. In the provincial' government conditions were, more hopeful. The franchise had been extended and certain women given the vote. The Hindoos were opposed to the revenue clauses which earmarked 75 per cent, of the finance for certain objects; ■ Thus with only 25 per cent, left, an ... Indian Minister could not make much advance towards progressive measures without increasing the revenue, which the country could not stand... The.Hindoos thus said the new Act would simply keep the country where it was now. Another/ point was that, it was laid down in the Act that there could be no change in the constitution for 10 years. The 692- princes, who could lay down the terms of their own accession, could thus block, progress by claiming any change would violate their own constitution. Ii Was thus hard to say with such handicaps how any great progress could be made, and this in general terms was the Hindoo outlook. Mahomedans Given Powers The Act, however, gave Mahomedans more power than they ever had and the great problem of India was the Hindob-Mahomedan clash, This hatred had come down through the centuries and was more intense now than ever. The British had to stay, to keep order. The Sikhs were the mortal enemies of the Mahomedans and were very sore over the new Act. The Sikhs pointed out that they had conquered the Mahomedans and that the British had now hand ed them over to a baser people. There were 5,000,000 Sikhs and they felt they had a grievance in this respect.

Then the quota principle of the new Act gave the Mahomedans certain rights. If there were nine people in for, say, a job in the post office, although the eight first-quali-fied were Hindoos, the ninth, being a Mahomedan, might get the job un- | der the quota principle. Similarly, in examinations for scholarships a ! Mahomedan might be picked out ! from the bottom to fill the quota. 1 The Untouchables Touching on the depressed classes,, Mr. ftybum said that before the ■ Ayrian invasion there were 50 to 60 ■ millions of menials, and these had 1 been kept in this status down the centuries. They were known as the “ untouchables,” and were treated abominally in certain parts,, where they had to get off the roads and walk in the fields if a Brahman approached. Latterly there had been a revolt among this class, but the inspiring, motive was purely social and not spiritual. The majority of the Christians in the north came from the depressed classes, and in some cases were a tower of strength and in others a source of weakness. The general attitude of the missions was that they should not be encouraged to come over unless there was a spiritual awakening. Mahatma Ghahdi Ghandi .had now left. politics and was devoting the whole of his time to endeavouring to get the Hindoos to abolish their attitude towards the depressed classes. However, he had received a mixed reception and had even been stoned by Hindoos. The general attitude of the Hindoo towards Britain was not too friendly, although they were prepared to be friendly. Their idea was that

Britain should hand over the Government, but remain and keep the peace from strong motives of service, just as the British Navy protected New Zealand. A most unfortunate feature of the new Act was that it had no reference in the preamble to India having the status of a : Dominion, as there had been in the previous Act. This had left the impression that the British were going back on their promises.