SIMON COMMISSION OPPOSITION PROVES COMPLETE FIASCO

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6889, 20 April 1929, Page 10

SIMON COMMISSION OPPOSITION PROVES COMPLETE FIASCO

Arrangements i>y Swarajists Fall Flat While Hartal is Also A Failure CALCUTTA. The Simon Commission is now in Calcutta, and is engaged in thrashing out some of the problems of self-govern-ment in Bengal. Its arrival the other day constituted the severest set-back the opposition has yot encountered. The Swarajists, animated and inspired by the recent meetings of the Congress in Calcutta, told the world that they were going to make such an example of Sir John Simon and his colleagues as would make them give up the hopeless task of presenting a report of an India which did not want them. ■ As a matter of fact the arrival was entirely peaceful and orderly, and the demonstration was a huge fiasco. The opposition, assuming that the party would arrive at Sealdah, stationed most of its demonstrators in that vicinity, and these eventually proved themselves to be barking up the wrong tree. Only a handful of spectators greeted the “Siman Seven” at Howrah; or, as Sir John Simon is reported to have said with humorous exaggeration, he was received by 2000 policemen and 200 demonstrators! The liartal was no more successful. A few shops closed their front doors but did business at the back. The incident shows how greatly the influence of the Congress party has waned. The attempt to boycott them has ended in fiasco.

The first point dealt with in Calcutta was the progres of local selfgovernment in the Province of Bengal. Several government officials -were examined ,and their cross-examination by Lord Burnham made show that the Government had abandone dall control of local bodies. Pressed as to what action the Government took, Air Drummond said he put queries but "we got no reply.” The chairman pointed out that there seemed to be a complete misunderstanding in India of the .relations at home between Government and local bodies. In England the Minister for Local Government uses Ills powers and is constantly up to the scratch. Here the idea seems to be ta leave them to themselves with only small staffs and no expert advice corresponding to that of a town or council clerk at home.