INDIA'S FUTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21377, 29 December 1932, Page 7

INDIA'S FUTURE

PROGRESS BY CONFERENCE \ : SATISFACTION EXPRESSED . ■ . • - //' . (.Received December 28, 5.35 p.m.) British "Wireless RUGBY, Dec. 27 The newspapers , record with satisfaction the evidence of the progress in the Indian problem contained in the speeches at. the final session of the third Round Table Conference .on Christmas Eve, and the prospect held , forth by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Sankey, that the next stage in/ the Government's programme, namely,. the submission of the Reforms - Bill to the consideration of a joint Select Committal of Parliament, may be reached in the spring. The Times, after complimenting Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary of State for India, and the whole body of the delegates on the Achievement, says:—"lt is true that on many points the delegates have rot been Unanimous, but what matters is that on the most important questions a sufficiently large measure of agreement has been reached to enable the Government to frame legislative proposals with a real understanding of what will be acceptable to the great body of Indian public opinion." • Regarding the character of the great difficulties with which the conference had to deal, the Times continues"There has been no question of merely resolving the supposed antagonism of British and Indian interests. Its business from the beginning Ifes been to plan a Constitution which should strike a balance, not only between the claims of Britain and India, but also between those of British India and ihe Indian States, between the interest of the literate class of thp towns and the passes of the countryside, between the claims of rival communities, majorities in this Province and minorities in that, Between higher and humbler castes."

The Daily Telegraph says:—"The Govview that the conferment of self-government on India is an object of British policy which must be honestly pursued under such safeguards as provide against serious disaster is the better mind of the country, irrespective of party." The Ncws-Chronicle says: —"The conference has placed the good faith of the British /Government beyond reasonable doubt. The next immediate step to real federation is, with the Indian Princes. We hope that they will respond without delay to Lord San key's urgent appeal." The Morning Post, which apologises for introducing a jarring note into "the Christmas carol sung with such goodwill by. Sir bamuel Hoare and other aflcgates," is critical of the usefulness of the conclusion reached in the absence of Con gress representatives, and finds the pro posed safeguards "a hollow mockery of the realities of power."