CONSTITUTION FOR INDIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20978, 15 September 1931, Page 9

CONSTITUTION FOR INDIA.

ATTITUDE OF GANDHI. PRIME MINISTER SEEN. GOAL OF INDEPENDENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received September 14, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON. Sept, 13. Mr. Gandhi late this evening conferred with the Prime Minister,. Mr. MacDonald, at the Dorchester Hotel in the rooms of Sir Tej Sapru. It is understood that Mr. Gandhi intimated to the Prime Minister that if tho Government was proparod to discuss the matters of principle laid »down hy the India National Congress at Karachi he was prepared to negotiate, but that otherwise there was no purpose in further discussion. It is understood that the Moslem delegates are perturbed because Mr. MacDonald met Mr. Gandhi on neutral ground instead of at Downing Street. The greatest secrecy was preserved regarding the meeting between Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Mac Donald, although the Prime Minister remained for only 20 minutes. The Lord Chancellor, Lord Sankey, however, had a conference of over an hour with_Mr. Gandhi and then went for a brisk walk in St. James! Park, returning home after midnight. , Seven more Indian delegates to the Round Table Conference will arrive in London .to-day. Besides Mr. Gandhi tho others include Pandit Malaviya, Mrs. Naidu, the Indian poetess, the Nawab of Bhopal, Chancellor of tho Chamber of Princes, tho Rajah of Kotah, Sir Prabhashankar Pattani, and Maulana Shaukat Ali, a brother of Maulana Muhammad Alt, whoso death occurred in London during the previous session of tho conference. In addition to these delegates, noarly 30 others are already in London. ! There will be a meeting of the Federal Structure Committee on Monday. Referring to the arrival of Gandhi, the Times says the inclusion for the first time of the leader of the Congress robs critics of the Round Table Conference of their chief complaint, that the strongest section of Indian politicians stood aloof. The discussions will be incomparably more representative than heretofore, and Mr. Gandhi's presence in England, if he will use it to tho best advantage of his country, should greatly facilitate mutual understanding of Indian aspirations and British responsibilities. The Times emphasises, however, that Mr.. Gandhi is in no sense a plenipotentiary from India. Ho has failed to bring with him any solution of tho profound communal controversy, which is one of the most obstinate barriers to an Indian settlement. Mr. Gandhi comes in fact as a representative not of India as u whole, but of a powerful and widely extended political organisation, which is not easily controlled by any leader, but for the moment owns a deep alliance to himself, and he comes to take his share in the practical discussions, which have already made considerable progress, and not to reopen tho problems. Tho India National Congress at its meeting at Karachi on March 27 passed the following resolution regarding tho Delhi Pact between tho then Viceroy, Lord Irwin and Mr. Gandhi:—The Congress, having considered _ the provisional settlement, endorses it, and desires to make clear that tho Congress goal of pinna swaraj (completo independence) remains intact. The delegation to any conference will work for this goal, and in particular to give the nation control over the Army, external affairs, finance, fiscal policy and economic policy; to have a scrutiny by an impartial tribunal of the financial transactions of tho British Government in India; to examine and assess tho obligations undertaken by India or England; and the right of either party to end the partnership at will; provided, however, that the Congress delegates will be free to accept such adjustments as may be demonstrably necessary in the interests of India. The Congress appoints and authorises Mahatma Gandhi to represent it at the conference, with other delegates under his leadership. MR. GANDHI BROADCASTS TALK TO AMERICA. VISITOR INTERESTS EAST END. (Received September 14, 7.25 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 33. Mr. Gandhi kept the United States waiting for ten minutes while he finished a frugal meal in the East End this evening. When ho was informed that America was waiting to hear him broadcast ho continued eating. When he finally approached tho micro phone ho spoke in faultless English for 30 minutes. Mr. Gandhi's arrival has caused amazing interest in the East End. Thousands of persons gathered in the neighbourhood all day. GANDHI'S GIRL DISCIPLE. MISS MADELEINE SLADE. Miss Madeleine Sladc, a pretty, darkhaired English society girl, who is one of Gandhi's most devoted followers, and who is accompanying him to London, is tho daughter of a British admiral—tho late Sir Edmond John Warre Slade. She gave up wealth and an assured social position to bo a disciple of the Indian leader. When in London she will live in a "cell" of a settlement in one of the poorest streets of the East End. " So far as we know at present Miss Slade wili live exactly as Gandhi will," Miss Muriel Lester, principal of tho Kingsley Settlement, said recently. " Mahatma Gandhi and his disciples will, I understand, preserve tho spartan simplicity of their lives in India." The three liny rooms which have been prepared for Gandhi and his followers are described in tho settlement as " cells." Each is just sufficiently big to accommodate a camp bed, chair and table. Miss Madeleine Slade's adoption of Gandhi and his creed was the sequel tb a meeting in Paris with ono of his admirers who told her about the Indian leader. The English society girl suddenly exclaimed: "That's a man I would like to meet." Eventually, although her friends tried to dissuade her, she went to join Gandhi in India, and changed her name to Shrimati Mira Bei. In place of her fashionable Western clothes Miss Slade wears a one-piece gar inent of a rough native cloth spun by Gandhi himself, and she lives on a meagre vegetarian diet. Tragedy came into belli fe recenfly when her mother, Lady Slade, died. The two had been eagerly looking forward to a reunion on the occasion -of Miss Slade's visit to London with Gandhi.