IN DISGRACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15384, 22 February 1912, Page 8

IN DISGRACE

INDIAN PRIXCK CONDEMNS BY WHITE CnAPEL. THE GAEKWAR OF BARODA. '.FnoM Ocb Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 5. The degradation of the Gnckwnr of Baroda is now complete. Wliitcchapel and .Seven dials and the Elephant have oil decided against' him, and that more than wipes out the decision of the eonrt6 here that, being a ruling prince and a sovereign, he may not he arraigned in the face, of British justice. The re|>orlß of the Gaekwar's insulting ennduct at the Durbar arc now conGrnied by letters which haw arrived from India. It is stated Hint when he came up to do homage he walked jauntily, swinging a stick in his hand—itself a g'r<*s breach of etiquette.—and as ho passed before their Majesties he saluted in the most perfunctory manner. "Very few people," sa\v. one letter, " believe that his discourtesy was not deliberate, for he lnd already displayed studied insolence in his attitude towards the Governor-General at an earlier stago of the proceedings. When Urd Hardinge drove into the arena the (iaekwar rose from his seat for barely a moment as his Excellency's carriage passed, and then resented himself, ostentatiously stretching out his legs, whilst everyone, in the vast amphitheatre remained standing until the GovernorGeneral had himself taken his seat." It is said further that these incidents aroused amongst the ruling chiefs ,1 feci' ing of profound resentment and disgust. THE TELL-TALE FILMS. The picture, palaco is the place where. British public opinion to-<lay is moulded, and when the pictures arrived the other day for the whole of the paJace.s of the United Kingdom tbe Gaekwar was quite undone. The Times says, from a view of the pictures at the Empire, that there could hardly be a more striking contrast than between the ceremonial salutetion of the Nizam of Hyderabad, full of sincerity and solemn significance, and the apparently indifferent attitude of the (iaekwar of Baroda. Dressed in white, and carrying a cane, the latter approaches the Royal Throne after the Nizam has bowed three times. The Gaekwar hows once only in a perfunctory manner, retreats a pace or two. then turns his back on the king and slowly walks away. It Is hardly necessary to say that the British miblic lets its views be clearlv understood whenever, this part of the scene is shown.