Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1923. SOME INDIAN PROBLEMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 664, 24 March 1923, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1923. SOME INDIAN PROBLEMS.

India is a land of many and complex problems. It has been under British control since the seventeenth century and under direct British rule since 1858 when the powers and territories of the East India Company, which had been the governing authority from the date its Charter was granted in 1600, were, following the great . Indian Mutiny, transferred to the Crown Under the Government of India Act. Since then it may be claimed that, having regard to the mixed character of the population, with its many racial, caste and lingual distinctions, the country has been governed humanely, wisely and well, and with general satisfaction to the vast majority of the peoples of India. Probably no country in the world presents greater problems to the average European than India! It has within its population of 315 millions many distinct nationalities and a veritable babel ,of languages, although tho more important vernaculars (of which there are no less than 147) are the Aryan (spoken by over 200,000,000), and the Draviclian (spoken by 56,000,000). These, with the TibetoBurman represent the speech of 97 per cent, of tho people. India is the home of many religions—Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsis, Auhnist, Mahomnicdan, Jews and Christians—and that adds to the complexity of the problems which confront the Government. Unrestrained, there is no saying what might happen between the conflicting races and religions, but, under a sympathetic administration, the wheels of government revolve smoothly and with little real friction among the masses. Commissioner Booth Tucker, who is at present visiting New Zealand, has spent the better part of a lifetime in Indja, first as a civil servant and then as the practical founder and leader of the' Salvation Army in that country. As one who has moved extensively among the people, and more particularly the lower classes, he told a "Standard" representative the other day that the people as a whole are well content with British rule.' "We have in India," he said, "a righteous, honest Government, which works for the welfare of the people and protects them against those who'would be their oppressors, were they left to themselves, and there is very little real discontent amongst the native population, except on the part of those who are out to take advantage of the agitation for self-government, in the hope of gratifying their own personal ambi-self-government already in the shajie of local government and the Central Government has done, and is doing a magnificent work for the people ,ia ihe

Punjaub by harnessing the great .snowfed rivers which: flow from .the xlirna-, lavas and confining them within mane river channels, whence their'waters.are conveyed through sub-channels which irrigate the once waterless, tracts ot fertile country formerly' comprising great desert : wastes Whichj in times; ot drought';' yielded neitnet food for.man nor foiv beast. In this way ;mUlionsot acres of land have been reclaimed ana brought under cultivation and faminesmitten districts have been; relieved, thtfirork being one trhich ml m QT * ment could have undertaken, the. outlay involving many milhons. Commissioner Booth Tucker says, however. that the scheme pays handsomely; and that, over the whole area irrigated, tne Government is, by the sale ) of the water and the former > desert wastes, reaping a return of seven per cent, all round. '

! A LAND OF OPPORTDNiTIES. A land of strange contradictions, India is yet a land of great opportunities. The European, or white population of little more than 100,0(50 | people, which has supplied the ruling class for the last three centuries, is • trusted and looked up to by the lower classes because of the protection they enjoy. Most, if not all of the troubles which arise in the administration of justice are due to the subordinate or native police who are past masters in the art of bribery and corruption. Crime in India is, according to Commissioner Booth Tucker a regular profession and is highly organised. It is committed largely by tribes, castes ana gangs of hereditary robbers, who are trained from their childhood and taught by their parents to regard it a?L. an honourable profession. There are more than a million professional criminals registered as such by the police, and Commissioner Tucker says that the subordinate police have been accustomed to levy toll upon them. To protect themselves from the robbers, the Europeans have native watchmen who are taken from the tribe which operates in the district in which they are resident, and these watchmen leave their boots outside at night and on seeing the boots, the thieves, who would otherwise raid the house leave it alone, as they consider the owners cf the property "are paying them trbute by engaging one of their number to protect their houses. Commissioner and Mrs Booth Tucker have both been associated with the work of the yalVation Army in India for very r..any years, and both come of a long race ot civil servants, Mrs Tucker's father having been Acting-Governor of Bombay. In the earlier stages of its work in "India the Salvation Arfrvy was \'°* garded with much disfavour by the authorities, because the commissioner and those associated with him in the work adopted native dress and native modes of living, and for asserting the Army's right to hold open air meetings (India being, as the commissioner explains, essentially a land of open air religions) the commissioner was haled before the courts and fined and imprisoned. In the long run, however, the good work it was able to accomplish told in it* favour and to-day the jinny is entrusted by the Government with' the reclamation of the criminal classes (and has several thousand men. women and children under its charge in specially formed settlements, the Government providing the land and the Army the supervision. The criminals are, with their wives and families, committed by the courts to the care of the Army, whose officers undertake their training in agriculture or industrial pursuits, a considerable amount of success having attended their efforts, so much so that many of the criminals have been released from police supervision. The Army has, however, made good in other directions and notably amongst what the commissioner terms the "depressed classes," stated at about 60 millions, and comprising "the hewers of wood and the drawers of water." or, in other words, the labouring classes. The great difficulty is in dealing with the V-astcs, as these poor people are absolutelv dependent upon them for food and 'employment, and thus the Army s Christianising efforts are greatly impaired. Hut, bv forming farm colonies and introducing cottage industries, and teaching the silk industry m all ; its branches, from the growing ot tne mulberry and silkworms to the production'of the finished fabric, much has been done to help the people. The largest Salvation Army village in the world is, the commissiouei states, situated on one of these farm colonies, with a population of approximately 2000 souls, settled upon 2000 acres of rich irrigated land where double crops can be produced every year. It supports its own officers, and the people are always very liberal with their gifts. The day*opens with prayer, the people rising at daybreak, and the greater' number of them have come to regard the Armv as an Indian religion, Mahomme'dans, Hindoos, Buddhists, Parsis and Animists treating the Army officers with the utmost respect. Day* ing the forty years of its existence in India the Army has established stsolf in no less than 4458 cities, towns, villages and settlements, and has increased its staff of workers from four to 3726 It has established 010 schools and 72 social and claims the allegiance of over- 100,000 converts. It is of interest to note that both Commissioner and Mrs Booth Tucker bear testimony to the value of British role in India. "It is difficult to over-estimate," Mrs Tucker says, "the value of the British official who stands for fairness, justice and honesty all the time."

"The Y.M.C.A, gives an uplift to the whole community, which should back us up in getting funds to carry 01V said Mr J. WaUaco at the annual meeting of the Young Men's Christian Association last night, when stressing the value of the work of the organisation. A meeting of supporters of the candidature of Mr o. R. Lancaster for the mayoralty was held last night, Mr Ongley presiding over a good attendance. A committee to further the interests of tho candidate in the campaign was set up, and general arrangements in connection with tho contest discussed. Recently the Taranald Chamber of Commerce intimated to the Pahnerston North Chamber that n party of its members' proposed to visit Sydney and tour the surrounding country. Iho secretary of the local body wrote to the Taranaki Chamber asking whether any roombera of the local organisation could accompany the party, lie has now received a reply in the affirmative and an invitation for them to do do. It is understood that at least one local member intends to make the trip.

Sportsmen wanting colours for Easter meetings should see our set of jockey satins in heavy weight With guaranteed wear for autumn and winter's hard usage. Nile green, old gold, emerald, violet, saxe blue, rust, brown,** red, ivory, cerise, scarlet, black, royal, pink, navy, 36in wide, for 14s, 6d yard net cash.—Collinson and Cunninghame, Pahnerston North.—Advl.

Choke china for Easter gifts, xveddinc, gifts or home adornment at Collinson and Son's includes Moorcroit, Royal Worcester, rouge rlanibe of Doulton niuke, utrecht, Crown Derby and others in the most beautiful examples ever assembled in Palmerston North. .These are the Rifts that will groxv more valuable with the passing of the voars. Why not see this ciioke gift china ': -Advt. ' • '

A 'gold .toy :h:ioM presented, to Mr Massey in connection with tb ß opening core mony of the Weraroa Memobttl The next Wellington wool sales will begin at 8 p.ra.vori>MottdßVnext.; 1 here is, a catalogue; of '^OOO.pales to be deult with.. .:■'■ ';--' '■■.,; ./:' %■ ~ In view of 4he'water shortage in Perth, the Premier iumounsed that works are being commenced 1 for 'storage capacity at a of £3,000,000. ; Notwithstanding' a recent official bulletin, a Moscow mosaage sny» that ■ official circles consider Lenin'a condition: hopeless (stales a. HeLttngsfote caUegrani),..-.. , A proposal is on foot >iri Dunedih tr makethe exhibition to be held there u 1925 ah iriterhatiorial instead of an Imperial one. . . \■ v . ,■'' *■:; " The overfleasfiteamer, Hannah,' 360 feet long, berthed yesterday at Cast|echff wharf, Wangariui, whert£lhe .will load: 3000 bales of w001..\ '•" ' - ■ \ "Even if a. peispn chose to sit downHn the a?motorist would have, no right t 6 move him'with his car," said a county, court Judge in England, recently. ' The body. of.Wiittara Wjjycl, who oatne to New Zealand irom London Jast year, was found yesterday in the' btrsh, between Paliautanut and Phmmertoh. There were no. signs of violence. "> .' . At the: annual: meeting of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, an appeal was: madejiri'the; room on behalf of the Royal Shoiffy -with th«v result that 54 members signed membership cards of the Royal; Agricultural Society'; .: The Brisbane>City permission for the theatres to be opened on Good Friday night: Thei ; Mayor, -\pn the advice of the Council'siioliciloxs that jihe by-laws were to.asgn the permits. •;' " ',' -:-y •;;'/■! , ',',;',■ Owing to ithe increased passenger traffic at the local railtitoy/station it, was found imperative to enlarge the accommodation at the booking 'Office. ;3Leaui«g-carpenter Boas and his men are nop- engaged so'as to h»ve the work ddlie before JSasfeiv ". A Sydney message reports> that. two simultaneous fires "seriously damaged Fay*. Limited, boot stores in Pitt sU-eet,-.and Manning Chambers, in another part of the same street, ocedpiedby variouSl Gvaijf: lhe estimated combined damage Vis in the vicinity of £50,000. \ During, the past week:eight applications for- employment wero'received ; kt the local office of the'littbotir Department, -incStly from men- seeking geiieral.laljciuHftg ■or farm work. As was the case's»' when the number of applications: totalled 13, none was placed in employment,..: * At a meeting of the CVickWVAssbSuitioD in Sydney Ihe treasurer reported-tlutl the net proceeds of Lareu's team and j New. South "Wales' amounted to £921, of? which approximately £7OO woidd go.to.the : New;ZeaiiiLnd Cricket Council. ".-.'.' "(" !;: *

The Canterbury Board of Education decided by 'six:* votes to four that leave be given to try a scheme for the introduction of visual education among, .pupils of' the schools by means of moving pictures'"where the committees arid teachers are agreeable to this being done/the board reserving the right to cancel'the permissioH given.^

Darcy Jones, manager of the sawmill at Pirongia, was' yesterday riding onlfc. truckload of logs when he Overbalanced,': falling head" foremost !:into a dry creek ibed 40 feet belo\X}' He h«U a miriicukius 'escape from dcatliV pht'both' hiß forearms were broken and he sustained bruises about the head and_ shoulders'..,, Hei was- remdved to the Waikato Hospital.■-■'••

A New York cablegram states that Francesco Tisbo, one ot the four brothers, steamship agents, who fled after mulcting Italian immigrants of two million dollars, was arrested whgn the steamer docked at Naples, Accbrdmg*to information reaching the police,lQO.UQO-dollars in bank notes were found on his person. The State Department will try to secure Tisbo's extradition and take him- to New York for trial. ,

The ladies' gallery;in the Supreme Court continued to be as popular in the concluding stages of the Tulu miirdo,i' Tr trial i: as,..or the opening- days (says the Kfew ZealaUi Times). The front benches were crowded with women throughout Thursday afternoon, and a number waited during'the jury's long absence and until Tuni,had,concluded his address, peering over the rail at the prisoner awaiting his fate,,,'; ■-• The Wellington lionrd on Thursday adopted of the finance commitfeeV for heavy capital , expenditure. It-decided, ititor alia;- to provide for the expenditure, over a three year period, £l£o,ooo Oti 'remodelling and expanding the- general hospital. 'll also resolved to send Br. Wilson (medical superintendent) to America to obtain: information about the latest hospital .systems, s

A remarkable feature bf a sale 'of lost property left on tramcurs (states a Wellington'paper) was the ; number of ladles' umbrellas—aboutflhree dozen of thpm—but not a single gentleman's utnbrella, although there were a few walking-sticks, some of these of the ladies' varieties."'.thereWas quite a large number of shopping baskets, and it seems remarkable that the Indies should bo so forgetful' as ito leave such things behind.:in the cars, * '•*

A strange, discovery was made in a load of gravel that "was "being used for a new concrete pitch in the;.\Vcrarda" Domain (>-aye the Levin Chronicle). The gravel came from the beach, arid had, just been tipped, when the contractor, unusual object, picked it up and threw it aside. On investigation it was found to be an 13carat gold watch. "It bad evidently been in the water some time, the works being completely spoilt, but the case, which is a very heavy one, is in good order.

' To find his front-boundary fence moved back '.so as to tut off a depth of 4Q feet containing the ooticirig flat which had led him to- purchase the property,. to discover that the removal bad/been legally effected by nothing less" than'the City Council, and that all he had left' was a steep remnant that would cost him £65 to approach, was said to have been the experience of a Kilbirnie (Wellington) property buyer, whp brought a Supreme Court action for damages agaimt the vendor., The latter professed to have known as little as the plaintiff that part of the land was owned by the City Council. ,

Pi-ices for beef at> the {Westfieltf '(Auckland) fat stock sales on/Wednesday advanced by fully lOsa; head .for "'prime quality compared with last week, other clngges being unchanged;: Extra clioico realised up to £1 M, choice and prime from £1 h to £l 3s,'nnd ;oi'dinary quality from 17s «o 19s. The rates for cow anc 1 heifer beef ranged from' 13s to £l. Pricet ' for sheep were slightly firmer. Heavy prime wethers brotlirht from £1 13s to £1 15?. others from £1 to £1 12s 6d. fiwei realised from 15s io £l 9s 6d. Lambs sold readily at late rates,: the prices ranging from 15s to £1 9s. for pigs was good, but values jyot'cJowor than hist week, choppers and bacoh pigs Ringing from £2 10* to £4i3s/'..:,.. , >■

The annual meeting; 6f the". Mahttwatu Rugby Football Union will be held fit the Kosy Lecture Hall on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Particulars of train, arrangements iii com nection witlv the Easier holidays arc announced in to-day's "Standard.".; V.

The Commissioner of Taxes- draws the attention of taxpayers to a notification that returns of lands must be furnished by April 9th. Forms may be obtained at any. postal money orde*, office. ; *

A special Invitation' ;9 io. the ladies of Palmerston North, to inspect all the latest designs of dainty lingerie; trimmed xery soft and attractively, now; showing at Tres Bon. Trousseaus n speciality.-The. fact that an up-to-date saloon of this'ilescription has been opened xvill tip doubt be of considerable interest to 'the ladies of.this town. This saloon is managed by Misses Macpherson ahd' Rhndle,. dpstairs Union Buildings, Coleman Place.—Ad vl, .'..."

For those new sliort littlej coats that look so smart and dressy, ladies sliciild see the black mnana cloth at tile C.rMi'Ros* Co., Lt'd.'s; it has" a woven .silk surfacs of unusual design, lined with a Soft woollen fabric, which'makes it an ideal 1 warm lit htwoight coating material;. 23s 6d \vard ne' cash.-Ad\V