FEDERATION IN INDIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20982, 19 September 1931, Page 11

FEDERATION IN INDIA.

VIEWS OF MR. GANDHI. GOVERNMENT LEAD SOUGHT. ELECTION TO LEGISLATURE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. British Wireless. RUGBY. Sept. 17. Mr. Gandhi made a long speech at the meeting of the Federal Structure Committee, of the India Round Table Conference to-day, in the course of a. general discussion on the composition and methods i of election to ihe Federal Legislature, j Mr. Gandhi began by declaring himself j to lie oppressed bv the, fear that the delegates were not the chosen ones of India, but of the Government,. There was a sense of unreality about the committee, and its proceedings seemed interminable and leading nowhere. He made a gentle j and humble complaint that His Majesty's Government, did riot give them the lead ! which would help thern to reach conI elusions. Mr. Gandhi said he wished the Govern- | ment, to say what it would do if the j Indians had appointed it as arbiter of their destiny. Methods of Election. Mr. Gandhi then proceeded to deal seriatim with the points before the meeting. India, he said, was historically one j country, and the princes in agreeing to | federation had helped to maintain that ! unity. There must, he a spirit of give ! and take between British India and the i Indian Stales, for without it a definite, workable scheme for a federation was impossible. Mr. Gandhi said ho found himself in agreement with the remarks made by Earl Peel, who had pointed out certain advantages which the method of indirect election possessed over direct election. He said he was wedded to adult suffrage, and be was nofc enamoured of two Legislatures, while ho opposed the whole idea of nominated members. Experts could attend to give advice, but they should not be able to vote. Views of Business Men. Earlier in the proceedings the views of the European business community were given by Mr. Gavin Jones. The Indian j States, he said, should be adequately represented in the federation, and in fair proportion to British India. Beyond that the method of selection was an internal matter for tiie States. Ihey were all agreed that the only solution of their problem was an All-India Federation, and no responsibility should bo transferred to any Government that was not representative of all India and of all the interests in India. Regarding the method of appointment of the, British Indian representatives to the Upper and Lower Houses, Mr. Jones said he still personally favoured the system of representation of the Governments in the Upper House and the Legislatures in the Lower House, but the European community would consent to indirect election to the Upper House from the Legislatures of the constituent States. Rights of Individual States. They preferred indirect election to the Lower House, but as popular opinion favoured direct election they were willing to agree to it, provided that the House was truly representative of the federating units. The individual rights of the federating units must he protected in tho interests of all the States, including the future British Indian States, and this could be done only if the Upper House had the same control over all matters, including finance, as the Lower House. They held that the special interests now represented in tho Legislatures should in a future Government bo represented in both Chambers. Europeans should have the same representation as now, with the constituencies as at present, to elect their own representatives. British and Indian commerce should be represented, each by three or four members in both Houses. MILITARY COLLEGE. PROPOSAL FOR INDIA. SUGGESTION BY COMMITTEE. LONDON, Sept. 17. Tho committee of experts appointed by the last India Round Table Conference to consider the Indianisation of the Army, suggests the creation of a military college in India, after which Indians should not be trained at Sandhurst or Woolwich. Air Force cadets would continue to be trained in Britain.