INDIA'S CONSTITUTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22907, 15 June 1936, Page 9

INDIA'S CONSTITUTION

PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY

ORDERS-IN-COUNCIL DEBATED

(British Official Wlreletß.) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

RUGBY, June 12

The House of Commons to-day debated a number of draft Orders-in-Couueil under the Government of India Art, which have the effect of bringing into operation the whole of the Act except part two, relating to the Indian Federation.

The Under-Secretary for India (Mr R. A. Butler), in moving approval of the Orders, said if provincial autonomy was to be inaugurated on April 1, the time table which the Government had in mind was that the general elections should be held approximately eight months hence.

Spokesmen for the Labojir Opposition and the Liberal Party joined in wishing the scheme the fullest measure of success, and Sir Samuel Hoare, who, as Secretary for India, piloted the India Bill through the House ,of Commons, speaking for the first time as First Lord of the Admiralty, added his blessing. He said a significant and satisfactory fact of the debate was that no one suggested that initiation of provincial autonomy should be delayed, although there had been criticism of some of the financial proposals. As the result of the Orders the provinces, several of which were of a greater magnitude than 60ine European countries, would have an opportunity for the first time on an extended scale of developing their own provincial life. Mr Winston Churchill and Mr L. S. Amcry, two of the principal critics of the Bill, also spoke. Mr Churchill said he and his friends would do nothing to obstruct the carrying out of the policy which Parliament had approved, and Mr Amcry expressed a wish that there might go from the House a message of goodwill to the new provinces and to India as a whole.