INDIAN PRINCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22527, 22 March 1935, Page 9

INDIAN PRINCES

CRITICISMS OF BILL SET OUT IN WHITE PAPER (British Official Wireless.) (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) RUGBY, March 20. The attitude of the Indian princes towards the Government of India Bill was discussed in the House of Commons in the' light of the White Paper published on Tuesday last, in which the criticisms of the princes and the Secretary for India's comments thereon were set out. Formidable as those criticisms might look at first sight, said Sir Samuel Hoare, they were, he believed, adjustable, and in support of this he cited the opinion expressed in correspondence by the princes themselves that "It was still not beyond the sphere of statesmanship to adjust our differences in such a manner as would lead to a satisfactory and desired result." Documents reproduced in the White Paper showed that ihere were about 30 points upon which the princes felt doubt. About one-third of these were due simply to misunderstanding. Of the other two-thirds, the great majority were points where the drafting could be readjusted without any sacrifice of any substantial principle in the Bill. All. except two points ought to be capable of comparatively easy adjustment. He had always admitted that the accession of the princes into the federation was difficult and complicated. His advisers, however, had been in close consultation with the legal advisers of the Indian States. The latter, of course, could not bind the princes in any way, but the views of both parties had been discussed in detail, and the discussion had not revealed any differences which appeared to be incapable of adjustment. Regarding the misunderstandings on the question of paramountcy, it was not the case that the Bill could not be proceeded with until the princes' claims on the points upon which the princes felt doubt were adjusted. Parliament was passing the best Bill it could and was taking into account as fully as possible all the various interests —British and Indian—those of the Indian States and those of Britain and the Empire. The princes had always claimed that they could give no final answer as to their accession until the Bill was. on the Statute Book. If they acceded there would be federation; if not there would be no federation. So far from makins: the princes' position vorse in regard to paramountcy, the Bill would make it better, but that question was one that must be dealt with in a normal way in India. It affected all the princes, whether they were federated or not and whether the Bill passed or not. But if British India was ever to achieve its full status in the British Empire an all-India federation was essential to India, with the princes for all time having that share in the government of the continent to which they were entitled. He believed the differences at issue could be honourably adjusted in full harmony with the interests on both sides.