DECISION ON FUTURE STATUS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26479, 5 June 1947, Page 7

DECISION ON FUTURE STATUS

MATTER FOR PEOPLES CONCERNED LONDON, June 3. Lord Listowel, at a press conference following the House of Commons announcement, said the plan aimed at the achievement of four main objectives. 1. The transfer of power at the earliest possible moment well in advance of June, 1948, the date previously set. 2. A peaceful handing over, which would save India anything like the anarchy which followed the end of the Mogul Empire. _ , 3. The handing over of control to a Government or Governments truly representative of India’s people, discountenancing coercion of any group. 4. The establishment after self-gov-ernment is in force of a long and firm partnership with Britain, founded on many existing ties 'in the complementary requirements of matters such as defence _ . . _ . Lord Listowel added that Britain had believed the Cabinet mission plan the best for India, and had made an unavailing last-minute attempt to secure its acceptance. The disadvantages of partition would be more obvious after it occurred. It would be a matter for the new dominions, if established, to decide whether to remain within the Commonwealth. The British Commonwealth could contribute much more to world security if its member nations were not all European in origin. In between Europe and Asia, a link was more than ever necessary at a time when a new spirit of freedom and progress had begun among the peoples of the Orient.

“India enters the last stage of her long road to self-Government, which has always been Britain’s aim with the best wishes that she may be spared the consequences of communal strife.” Lord Listowel said.