MR SASTRI’S MISSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18556, 17 May 1922, Page 4

MR SASTRI’S MISSION.

Mb V. S. Srinivasa Sastri kept fairly clear of serious controversial issues in his utterances upon the eve of his departure from India upon his mission to the self-governing dominions. Naturally, he touched upon the large question of the position of India within the Empire, expressing the view that the British Commonwealth is unique amongst the political institutions of the world for the opportunity which it offers of a solution of th© great problem of colour conflict and a clash between East and West. No doubt this is the truth. The Empire’s experience of the colour problem is already considerable, and it may even be that it will be greatly extended before a satisfactory solution is reached. Mr Sastri is not coming to Australia and New Zealand to attack the policy of these countries respecting Asiatic immigration. He is well versed in all the arguments which have dictated the “White Australia” doctrine, and at the Empire Conference of last year he discussed the whole position with the statesmen who represented the dominions. His mission is to confer with the Governments of the dominions on rhatters relating to the status of Indiaus resident in these parts of the Empire, and his countrymen in Australia and New Zealand will find in him an eloquent and experienced advocate in respect of their claims to all the privileges of citizenship. His representations will be directed towards securing the practical fulfilment of the terms of the resolution accepted at the Empire Conference by all the dominions, save South Africa, expressive of recognition of the equal status of India as a member of the Empire and of the desirability, in the interests of Imperial solidarity, that the rights of citizenship of Indians lawfully domiciled in other parts of the Empire should be acknowledged. Mr Sastri makes his tour in response to invitations extended to him last year by the Prime Ministers of the dominions, and he will be an interesting visitor in our midst. It will have been observed with regret that he speaks in uncompromising terms respecting the lack of confidence on the part of the people of India in the British Government, but the staunchness of his support of the British Commonwealth tempers somewhat the harshness of his reference to this subject. His leading argument upon his mission will evidently be the necessity for the restoration of Indian confidence by a policy of liberality and progressiveness. The effect of the discussions at the last Empire Conference was to encourage the belief that the British Government accepted! the principle that rights

of citizenship should be accorded to Indians domiciled in parts of the Empire under the control of the Colonial Office, and notably in East Africa. Mr Sastri, while conceding that Mr Lloyd George’s eloquence was largely responsible for the passage of the resolution respecting equality of status, now lays regretful emphasis upon the possibility of an adverse decision by the Imperial Government in relation to Kenya and Uganda, and he speaks of “disastrous consequences,” which may, he apprehends, jeopardise the success of his mission. The question of the status of the Indians in Kenya is one bristling with controversial difficulties, and it is not altogether strange that the attitude of the Colonial Office should appear to be more or less in harmony with that of the South African Government with reference to the general problem. The position of Indians in Australia or New Zealand is not parallel to that of Indians in Africa. In the former case they are a mere sprinkling of the population. In Kenya Colony, or British East Africa, on the other hand, there are already some 30,000 Indians against 2,000,000 natives and only 8000 Europeans. It ig not surprising that the objection should have been raised that the grant to Indians in Kenya of “equal status” with the Europeans would! probably lead in due course to the absorption by Indians of the whole government of the colony. This, it is suggested, would be a disastrous development from the point of view of the native population of the country, the protection of which should be the first object of the Imperial Government. There are two sides to the question, which has already provoked a good deal of acrimonious discussion, and it is evident that .strong opposition to the concession sought by Mr Sastri, with the support of the Indian Government, is offered by a large section of the Europeans in Kenya, and, that complications attend the situation there and in other parts of South Africa such as are not likely to be discovered in the other dominions.