FUTURE OF INDIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22179, 5 August 1935, Page 9

FUTURE OF INDIA

BRITISH LEGISLATION ACT ON STATUTE BOOK ROYAL ASSENT OBTAINED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless RUGBY, Aug. 2 The Government of India Bill became an Act to-day, when it received the Royal Assent in the House of Lords. Many members of the House of Commons attended at the bar to witness the historic scene. The preparations for the passing of the measure have occupied nearly eight years. The publication of the report of the Simon Commission in May, 1930, was followed by various sessions of the Round-Table Conference. Then came the issue of the Government's White Paper in March, 1933, indicating the greatest common measure of agreement reached as a result of these investigations and consultations. Then the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee sat for 18 months, and its recommendations, issued last October, were largely incorporated in the bill. The discussion in connection with the bill occupied 61 Parliamentary days of this session. The scheme contained in the Act is to set up in place of the present form of government in British India an AllIndia Federation linking together the 11 British Indian provinces and such Indian States as are prepared to join. Both at the Federal centre and in the provinces the Government will be formed of Ministers responsible to Legislatures in much the same sense as the British Cabinet is responsible to Parliament. Burma is separated from India and given a constitution on the same general lines. The more notable amendments accepted in the course of the bill's passage through Parliament are the reservation of six seats in the Council of State for women, and the substitution of direct for indirect election to the Council of State. The federation will not come into being without the essential pre-reqidsite of the accession of Indian States containing not less than half the total population of all the States. The welfare of the people of India and Burma, who already number 350,000,000, is involved in the Act which was added to the Statute Book to-day.