ABSOLUTE RULE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22963, 15 February 1938, Page 14

ABSOLUTE RULE

NEED IN BURMA the present experiment LEARNING BY MISTAKES The opinion that it would be better for India and Burma if they were governed by a system of absolute rule was expressed by Sir Arthur Eggar, until recently Advocate-General of Burma, who arrived from Sydney by tho Awatea yesterday. Sir Arthur retired from his position last month, and is visiting New Zealand in the course of a world tour. During many years' residence in Burma, 27 of which were spent in various law departments of the Government, Sir Arthur took a keen interest in tho advance of the inhabitants toward modern civilisation. He was formerly a lecturer at Bangoon College, and moro recently professor of law at Rangoon University. In his position as Advocate-General, of Burma ho was responsible for the change of laws necessary when the new Constitution of Burma took effect on April 1 1937. 'The new Constitution,, he said, had placed tho Burmese themselves in charge of all departments except one, and, although the Governor had extensive reservo powers for use in emergency, tho present policy was not to use those powers, but to let the Burmese learn by their mistakes. It would take many years, however, before they understood the elements of self-government, . and disentangled their politics from self-interest. " Political Antics " "They are a good-hearted people," he said, "but they have copied catch phrases from the Congress politicians, and have adopted the pose of hostility toward Parliament, and the goal of driving the British out of Burma." That, incidentally, was because they had no creative political ability, and they could only copy from their neighbour, India. The Burmese had child minds, and were unable to see the futility and absurdity of their political antics, Sir Arthur added. Everything in Burma was n theatrical performance, a "pwe"; they called their Legislative Assembly a "pwe," and they behaved accordingly. The proceedings in their Assembly for the past 12 months had shown that the people's representatives were actuated by the shallowest of motives. Futile Resolutions "They fail to 'understand party politics," said Sir Arthur. "They cannot accept leadership or the discipline necessary for supporting a party, and each representative's desire is to advertise himself aud to scramble for the well-paid posts of Ministers." Futile and ignorant questions and resolutions were tabled, and hundreds of private bills were introduced without the slightest regard to the existing law. The Statute Book would be in a state of hopelessness in two years' time. What they needed and what they must ultimately have was absolute rule. That applied to India also. Such control was the only thing they had understood through the centuries and, although the politicians agreed that that type of Government must come back, they professed to wish for the intermediate stage of experimental democracy. The shorter that disastrous stage was, however, the better for the countries concerned.