INDIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 11 May 1915, Page 5

INDIA

A SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY A PLOT THAT FAILED. (Rec. Mav 11, 10.35 a.m.) * DELHI, May 10. An imra>rt-ai;t prosecution under the recent Defence 'of India Act is. progressing fit Lahore against 82 persons alleged to have indulged in a seditious conspiracy against : the British Government, engineered by Indians returning from America. The origin of the conspiracy was found in a movement on the Pacific Coast, directed, by. one Sai Dyal in the hpge' th&Vthe Administration would he weakened by the war. _ Emissaries returned t'o India in. considerable numbers atid ! endeavoured to stir up trouble, mainly in the Punjaub and the United Provinces. They sought to collect arms and explosives, circulate seditious 'literature, tamper -with the troops, obtain funds, and to commit robberies. A series'of dacoits' murders has taken place." 1 *: , ' ' ' ', ' ■' '■ •Owing to the vigilance of police and. the co-operation of the people, seizures of bombs were, made, plans detected, and the ringleaders arrested. Several of those implicated made a full confession of the plot, -which failed _ at the very beginning. The plotters failed to win the sympathy of their own people in India. Thougha majority are/Sikhs*. 1 the Government had ' every assistance" from Sikh leaders, who keenly relented ; the discreditable proceedings to persuade ' to join in' revolt.

TREATMENT OF BRITISH PRISONERS

DISCUSSION IN BRITISH PARLIA- . MENT.

: ■ LONDON, May 7. In the' House of Lords, Lord Al.bepoarle begged th 6 Government, , for the sake of' prisoners from German submarines as ordinary war prisoners. _ , Lord Lucas, for the Government, replied that separate treatment was necessary in the case of men who';had. been guilty of murdering harmless civilians. In the House of. Commons, Lord Robert Cecil suggested that ' the belligerents should jointly request Switzerland to undertake the care'of all War prisoners. ' ' ■ " • ' '

Mr Asquith; the Prime Minister, s<aid that, he doubted the practicability of securing; a' joint request. or accomplishing the' proposal. -fie was confident; that Britain's, treatment of war ' prisoners compared .'favourably with that of any Country in any ' war! He adlied : "Our policy will continue. Maltreatment of k war'prisoners was not common, even in the Datf? Ages. Many other fiendish devices'' have (been left to one of the Christian nations of Europe to invent Vane}'elaborate';"' ,

GERMANY'S BREACHES OF HAGUE GONVENTipH

AND NEUTRALS' ATTJTUDE.

(Rec. May 11, 9 a.m.) LONDOIN" May 10. Mr Asquith in reply to question's, said there would' be no obiectr in£ * •;neutrals' regardingbreaches "of the Hague Convention, unless they, were prepared to take action.

TO QAPTIIRE GERMAN TRADE BRITISH INDUSTRIES f'-AIR.

(Rec. May 11, 12.25 p.m.) . LONDON," May 10. _Qu,een Mary visited fclie British Indiis-t j -trie's 3?" air in the Agricultural Hall, or-' j by the Board of Tradg as part of I a, scHeme to'advertise British mariufacI- titres and capture Qterman trade. There lis a splendid display, especially of the china,, glass, cutlefcy, stationery,; and printing trades.

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE SCHEME REFERENCE BY HIGH CQMMIS- ' ' SIGNER, .

(Reo, May 11, 12.?5 p.m.) "LONDON'j May 10. _ The Son. T. Mackenzie, High Commissi the 'British and Foreign Sailors' Society at the Mansion House, said that universal training had enabled New in common with their Australian . and Canadian: comrades, to. participate in thjj in a manner worthy of their courijtry.