THE INDIA CONFERENCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17410, 7 November 1930, Page 7

THE INDIA CONFERENCE

DECISIONS TO BE FINAL A POTENTIAL MENACE LORD BURNHAM’S WARNING (Elec. Tel. Copyrieht—United Press Assn.) (Received November 7, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 6. Although it is suggested that the Dominion delegates may depart almost empty-handed from the Imperial Conference, the Indian round-table delegates have only to ask and receive. Such at least is the impression gainou from preparatory moves at the conference, the delegates to which are informally conferring at St. James’ Palace. It is pointed out that Lord Irwin s speeches’referring to Dominion status commit Britain to conceding whatever the. conference unanimously' demands. It has been clear for some time that the Government has decided to use the Simon report merely as a work of reference. It is also understood that the Government of India's recommendations regarding the constitution, which are being published, probably next week, go further than the Simon commission regarding the central government. . Some delegates join in affirming that they expect immediate Dominion status, with safeguards regarding defence, including the maintenance of the British army, foreign relations, finance, and the preservation of the interests of minorities.

'Lord Burnham, in a foreword to an abridged edition of the Simon report, calls attention to the danger of a surrender policy. He declares that India at present is in a state of crisis and incipient anarchy, and will be the scene of a titanic struggle concerning the relationship of Asiatic and 1 Western peoples. He adds that the commission’s main purpose has'been to prevent the dissolution of the British Ehnpire in India. The King yvill open the conference in the Royal <*lallery of the House of Lords next Wednesday. Subsequent meetings will be held in St, James Palace, where preparations for the ronfereuce have now been completed. The secretarial of the conference has been housed at the palace for some time past, and in the, last few days the palace lias been used for preliminary informal meetings of the Indian States and BritiUiIndian delegations, as well as for smaller groups.

DIFFICULTIES ANALYSED A table around which the 86 delegates will sit has been, specially constructed for the purpose, and is now in position in Queen Aniie’s drawing room in the palace, in which the plenary session of the recent naval conference was held. Lord Peel, a former Secretary for India, and a member of the forthcoming round-table conference, in a speech, dealt with the difficulties the conference would have to face. One of the difficulties of the existing situation, he said, was that there had been some 'confusion in the Indian political mind between questions of status and constitution. Indian thought was anxious that there should be no question of inferiority, that India should be placed on complete equality with the great Dominions.

Unfortunately, some of the constitutional problems had been considered to some extent not merely from the point of view of what, under present conditions, would be the best constitution for India, but whether the new constitution did or did not place India ori an equality with the Dominions the relations of the Hindu and Moslem communities, the protection ..of. minorities,.and the relation of the princes and their States to a more self-governing India, all presented great problems for the conference. He did not think it would be the duty of the 'conference to frame a constitution, but- to indicate clearly to the Government what were the general lines upon which it wished the constitution to be framed. Nor did he think that it would make decisions by vote. The conference was not representative in the sense that it- had llean elected by the constituencies.

Another great difficulty was that the extremist congress section was irreconcilable, and would not be represented at all Great responsibility would, therefore, bo thrown upon the parties who were represented

DELEGATES ASSEMBLE KING ENTERTAINS PRINCES (British Official Wireless^) RUGBY, Nov. 5. In the State diningroom at Buckingham Palace the King-Emperor, accompanied by the Queen, entertained at a banquet the Indian ruling princes and chiefs who are in London to attend the round-table conference. /

The scene was a magnificent one, the princes being attired in robes of ceremony.

The guests, who numbered 60, included in addition to tho Indian princes, the Queen of Spain, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, and other 1 members of the Royal Family. The third informal meeting of the' British-Indian' delegation to the conference was held in St. James’ Palace today, the Aga Khan presiding. Mr. Wedgwood lienn, Secretary of State for India, addressed tho meeting, and at his suggestion seven members were selected to confer with representatives of other delegations and with the Secretary of State in regard to the agenda, and procedure at the roundtable conference.