DR SASTRI’S MISSION

Otago Witness, Issue 3590, 2 January 1923, Page 23

DR SASTRI’S MISSION

INDIA AND THE DOMINIONS. RECEPTION IN NEW ZEALAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, October 13. The Right Hon. S. V. Siinavasa Sastri has arrived back in London after his tour of the dominions, having completed the important mission entrusted to him by the Government of India. He will remain in England for another month before sailing for his own country. “ I found the New Zealand people most kindly,” he said when him for a few moments yesterday at the Waldorf Hotel. “I regret my stay was so short. I ought to have stayed a month instead of only two weeks. I was sorry not to have visited Christchurch. Had it been ' the summer time, I should probably have gone there. As it was, I found the cold rather trying.” Dr Sastri went to the dominions to try to persuade the Governments, and the public into carrying out such legislation as might once and for all dissipate the ill-will that had been engendered by the way in which Inidan settlers had been treated. In all places visited in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, Dr Sastri met representatives of the Government, and was, he stated, highly gratified by his reception and by the way in which his message was received. In fact, every Minister with whom he discussed the question of Indian status showed a

rea/'-'j' disposition to give lu3 countrymen e>sal rights, and regarded the removal of the di'abilities complained of as an Imperial duAy to be put right. IMPERIAL SOLIDARITY. ‘ln numerous public addresses ' and in private conversation with leading men of varying shades of opinion,” said Dr Sastri, “I was able to set Indian unrest in its proper light, and to show that its emergence did not indicate any immediate disruptive movement. I pointed out that the removal of any genuine Indian grievance, whether at home or in the dominions, was a step forward in Imperial solidarity. Everywhere I found appreciation and sympathy in regard to my presentation of the Indian case. I was much impressed by the readiness shown to view even small questions relating to Indian claims from the Imperial standpoint and the desire of public men to give their best consideration to any proposal which wa3 recommended to them as of Imperial consequence. I have brought away the most satisfactory impressions of the prospects of an absolute improvement, reaching, indeed, to a complete understanding, between the white and the Indian populations of tho Empire. The obstacles which have stood in the way have been those of prejudice and ignorance. jThese take time to remove, but the prooess can be greatly accelerated by personal contact such as I was privileged to enjoy, and by taking every possible opportunity to improve Imperial communications.” LEGISLATIVE RESULTS. Some of the immediate results of a mission, in which, for tho first time, the Government of India was negotiating directly with the dominion Governments and through the embassy of an Indian statesman, may be very briefly indicated. It must be borne in mind that it was no part of Dr Sastri’s mission to raise the question of the admission of Indian immigrants. The Queensland Government has allowed Indians already domiciled in the State to re-enter the banana industry, from which they were .excluded by a recent Act. In South Australia legislation is being introduced to permit Indians to participate in the benefits of the Murray irrigation scheme, by owning and occupying land. Mr Hughes has agreed to introduce almost immediately a measure to admit Indians to the benefit of the old-age pension laws. In New Zealand the same question is to be considered when those laws come up for revision. The universities of Australia, with the exception of Brisbane, in which accommodation is extremely limited, have agreed to admit Indian students. With regard to the franchise, Western Australia and Queensland will finally settle whether they will come into line with the other States in the admission of Indians at the forthcoming conference of the State Premiers. The commonwealth franchise is aLo likely to be extended to Indians. In Canada the only province in which Indians aie not admitted to the franchise is British Columbia, where Parliament is to be consulted. The question of the dominion franchise will also come before the dominion Parliament. Many minor questions, such as the admission of substitutes when Indians lawfully resident in the dominions are temporarily out of the country, were also dealt with. But the results of the mission, in Dr Sastri’s words, are to bo gauged Ices by a catalogue of administrative or legislative changes than by the better understanding of India’s wishes and point of view as a component part of the Empire, as expounded by one of her sons speaking for her Government.