CONDITIONS IN INDIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17453, 30 December 1930, Page 7

CONDITIONS IN INDIA

PROGRESS INEVITABLE AN OFFICER’S COMMENTS (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. “There will certainly be .Hew openings in the Indian -Army for officers of New Zealand forces who may be retired as a result of the retrenchment which, I understand, is now being carried out,” said Lieut.-Colonel R. jj'. S. Beyts, an officer with 30 years’ service in India, who arrived bv the Niagara in the course of a world tour. Colonel Beyts lias just started on two years’ accumulated leave, after which lie will retire. He said the army in India was fully staffed, and when lie left a proposal’ to retire captains with lb years service was being considered. Colonel Beyts said he had no fears for the future of India, in spite of recent developments which at this distance vnii'ht seem ominous. All educated Indians realised that they had received much benefit from British government. It was to be expected that in a vast country of many creeds and races there would be difficulties, and while so-called patriots were retarding the advancement so ’much desired by the progressive elemeiit, "nothing would "stop this advance. ()nq great 'feature of the present position in India Whs the part women Were now taking in the public life of the country, a tiling ■ unheard of 20 years ago. . J bey now yvept unveiled, and spoke m public, and hs’ithey’ represented" the home and spoke' for the .-great) masses- of wordon their influence must be far reaching. Colonel Beyts was of the opinion that compulsbry primary, technical, and agricultural training was necessary in India to fit. the people to carry on the work ol the. country. At present too much attention was paid to higher education.