GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20703, 29 April 1929, Page 9

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

SIMON COMMISSION RETURNS. I CONFERENCES WITH CENTRAL COMMITTEE. FURTHER EVIDENCE TO BE HEARD. PROBLEMS DISTINCT FROM POLITICS. (British Official Wireless.) (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) ■ RUGBY, April 26. Sir John Simon and other members of the Indian Statutory Commission arrived in London to-day. Interviewed. Sir John said that they hoped on June 8 to welcome in London their colleagues of. the Indian. Central Committee, who would come to resume their conference with them, more particularly on questions connected with the relationship between the Indian and Home Governments. The Indian Committee intended to write' its report in England and to complete it by October. ‘‘Our own document,” he said, “is not likely to be ready before the end of the year.” Sir John said: “Now that the general election intervenes, I know I am expressing' .the views of my colleagues when I say we most earnestly trust that India will he kept entirely outside all party controversy. We have worked together in this spirit, and will ourselves do everything possible to preserve it to the end. Much will be heard of Indian affairs in the next Parliament, but we trust nothing'will be heard of them during our domestic discussions in the next six weeks.” The return of the Simon Commission brings to a conclusion that stage of the duties laid upon them 18 months ago. The two remaining stages of the work of the commission will begin after the general election, the interval being necessitated by the fact that five members of the commission will be seeking xe-election. The fourth and penultimate stage of the work of the commission.should begin soon after the middle of June, when the Indian Central Committee will arrive in London. The joint conference of the Simon Commission and the Indian Central Committee in considering the future relations,of the Home and Indian Governments will hear evidence of per-' manent officials on the subject, and the. Ministers concerned with defence services may also be consulted. The joint conference may further desire to hear the views of experienced authorities, such as Lord Chelmsford and Lord Reading former Viceroys of India. The fifth and final. stage of the. work will be the preparation by the Simon Commission of its report. This will be undertaken when the commission has before it the report of the Indian Central Committee. The Statutory Commission was set up in November, 1927, for the purpose of inquiring into the working of the system of government, the growth of education, andthe development of representative institutions in India. The commission was instructed to report to what extent it was desirable to extend modify or restrict the degree of responsible Government in India. Sir John Simon is the chairman of the commission, DEMONSTRATION AT VICTORIA , STATION. , , ... FOUR ARRESTS MADE. /r) . LONDON, April 27. (Received April 28, at 5.5 p.m.)’ Most elaborate precautions were taken at Victoria Station on the arrival of Sir John Simon. Two hundred police guarded the platform approaches, and hundreds of men on foot patrolled the streets outside. A crowd of agitators attempted to demonstrate, scattering pamphlets. They were carrying black ®. ome them inscribed; “To hell with Simon’s freedom for India.” Four arrests were made.—Australian Press Association— United Service.