INDIA'S VOICE

Otago Witness, Issue 3304, 11 July 1917, Page 55

INDIA'S VOICE

EFFECT OF DOMINIONS' IMMIGRATION POLICY. A point of view entirely now to many New Zealand students of Imperial problems was placed beforo members of the New Zealand Club by Sir Henry Richards, Chief Justice of the. United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, at a club luncheon on Iho 12th (says the Post). The subject of the guest's address was " Indian Views on Imperial Federation, and the Problem of Indian Immigration." Speaking first of the Indian immigration, Sir Henry Richards said he did not know whether they were awaro of the peculiar connection which it had with tho first portion of tho subject. Ho did not propose to discuss whether the exclusion of Indians from Australia and New Zealand was fundamentally sound. He had learnt that the conditions were different in New Zealand and Australia, or even parts of Australia, also that the regulations were different. He could understand that there would be objections to the influx of a great quantity of coolie labour, particularly whero rlimatio conditions were such as to permit of white manual labour being employed, but the exclusion of Indians generally, and particularly educated Indians, was on a very different basis. If it be found that they could not permanently exclude other race?, then Indians, who wore after all our fellowcitizens, and had proved their citizenship in the war, should bo first admitted. Ho was not sure that their apprehension of being swamped by a great influx of Indian labour was not exaggerated. He did not think ihat there was the possibility of getting an amount of Indian labour in the dominions, unless ifc was strongly desired both by tho community here and by the Government of India. A vast machinery would bo required for tho purpose. The regulations, he suggested, should be made as little hurtful as possible and restrictions should only bo such as were reasonably necessary to meet their reasonable apprehensions. To Illustrate his remarks, the speaker referred to the opinions formerly held by Mr Lionel Curtis and other members of the Round Table group, that In the plan of Imperial Federation India could be ignored and the affairs of India excluded. Mr Curtis, after his visit to New Zealand, went to India, and was convinced, after a short study of affairs there, that this view was erroneous. He wrote a letter setting forth altered opinions, and showing tho difficulties presented by India. By Federation, he said, the people of the dominions would assume control of the future and the fate of 370,000,000 of people in the Commonwealth who had not yet attained self-govern-ment. The people of Central Africa were scarcely capable of forming any valid opinion as to how they ought to be governed; but in India there were small but important sections which could and did formulate opinions. Vet the opinion of these sections could not be accepted as the final criterion of Indian policy, as the sections could not enforce their decisions. INDIAN OPINION CANNOT RULE INDIA.

" Indian opinion cannot rule India, at any rate, until the Indians capable of forming such opinion are united, organised, and numerous enough to exact regular, willing, and continuous obedience from their fellowcountrymen who have not as yet acquired tho faculty of political judgment." The policy of the British Government was to develop opinion and accept it where it could. The new and reformed Imperial Government muist control India and South Africa, and as Indian opinion was consulted in integral affairs, so there must be some way of enabling the same opinion to influence ■external policy. A copy of that letter, Sir Henry continued, wa3 published, and created a storm throughout India. Mr Curtis, the Hound Table, and Indian officials were denounced as conspirators. The reason for this agitation, Sir Henry ascertained, was the suggestion that there should bo any constitution in which the dominions were represented which had any say in Indian affairs. Hi*6 Indian friends told him that the very notion of allowing tho dominions to have one word to say in their affairs was unthinkable. "They aro people," they said, " who refuse to allow Indians to land in tneir dominions." Of course they did not understand or appreciate the dominions' reasons, but there was a most intenso feeling on the subject. It might be suggosted that tho resentment of tho restrictions showed the need for them, but that was entirely erroneous. Tho resentment was felt most by people who had not the remotest intention of coming to these shores, oven if their religion permitted, which the religion of an orthodox Hindu did not. It was shared bv tho rulers of tho independent and eemi-indopendcnt parts of India, who had no intention of coming or allowing their people to como here. It was considered that India was insulted because her people were not recognised as fellow-citi-zens. Sir Henry went on to say that he was far from stating no restrictions wore necessary, but ho did not think tho exclusion of educated Indians was necessary. IMPERIAL FEDERATION.

As to tho Indian view of Imperial Federation, it had been very little considered before tho publication of Mr Curtis's letter and his subsequent pamphlet, in which ho explained his position, and suggested how India might bo represented. The original storm led to the wide reading of the pamphlet, and many educated Indians gave consideration to the problem for tho first time. Opinion in India now advanced much faster than formerly, and that progress had been hastensd by tho war. "Educated India," Sir Henry concluded, "has a claim on tho British Empire for the part she has taken in tho war, no matter what part of tho Empiro is considered."- (Applause.) Tho address was listened to very attentively, and at its close Mr ('has. Wheeler (president) thanked tho speaker heartily. Among tho gueets were Sir James Allen and the Hon. J. A. Ilar.an.