Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, THURSDAY, JAN. 22, 1931 THE INDIAN CONFERENCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17472, 22 January 1931, Page 6

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, THURSDAY, JAN. 22, 1931 THE INDIAN CONFERENCE

The most that can be said for the Indian Conference just concluded is that it has paved the way to the erection of a federal structure which will give realisation to the hopes and aspirations of the Indian people. Certain of the foundations have been laid, but it: remains for the natives of India to build upon them, and a great deal of patient planning and negotiation will yet have to be done before effective results are obtained. One thing is manifest from the deliberations of the Conference, and that is Britain's goodwill towards India. The utmost sympathy was shown by the British delegates, representing all poiitical classes, to the Indian claims for self-government, and there was a genera! desire to help in the framing, ol" an adequate constitution. Such difficulties as did occur were of the Indian delegates' own making, and they comprised mainly matters of representation. As one correspondent put it, it would have needed an Einstein to settle those difficulties. In private and public negotiations the delegates were struggling with a mathematical problem'that could not be solved until somebody gave way, and nobody would do that. The Indian native princes claimed 50 per cent, of the seats in the Federal Legislature} tho Moslems wanted .°>J per cent; other communities with varying figures wanted. 42 per cent, and as 124 per cent, would not go into 100 per cent., even in an All-India Federation, the delegates found themselves nonplussed by a.problem of relativity. The impasse was mainly due to the rival demands of Hindus and Moslems as to the number of seats to be reserved in tiie legislatures to safeguard (lie rights of the minorities. It is clear that the Indians do not trust one another to do justly and fairly towards each other. The failure to agree on this vital point of representation gives strength to Mr. VVin.ston Churchill's argument that it. would not be safe to leave the Indians to govern themselves. "For," says Mr. Churchill, the facts of India have not changed 1 . They are immemorial. The political classes are a mere handful compared with the population. Only one person in India's 350,000,000 can read and write, and there are 70 races and even more numerous religions and sects,

many;' of. them in antagonism. Withdrawal or suspension of British control," lie claimed, "would mean either a 'Hindu despotism, supported by an army of European mercenaries, or a renewal of those ferocious internal wars which tortured the Indian masses for thousands of years before the British Hag was hoisted in Calcutta." Indian- independence, it seemed to be recognised at the Conference, is outside the scope of practical politics, Dut there was a general concession that "Dominion status" might be possible. The Indian representatives made it clear that they do not want Dominion .status- as an ultimate goal—they want it to-day. Weil, it is up to them. They have the authority of the Conference to go on with the superstructure. It is for th'em to agree as to details and to show by the conduct of their respective sections of "the people that they are capable of self-government. Boycotts, strikes, non-co-operation, and deeds of outlawry must cease if the returning delegates are to make any headway with negotiations lor the attainment of their ideal. Unfortunately the delegates did not represent the noisy minority who have been making all the trouble in India, and who studiously abstained from participation in the conference; but it certainly should be their first duty when they* get back to impress upon their countrymen the futility and the wickedness of maintaining this open revolt against the British raj. The delegates must feel that they have been treated sympathetically and kindly, and that there is the utmost desire to help India obtain such measure of self-government as she is qualified for. British protection meantime is absolutely essential to any real freedom for India—that is freedom from Pathan raids and outside oppression, as well as from internal disorders which would assuredly arise if the British army were to quit India. It is the sober considered opinion of all British statesmen, and of a great many Indians besides, that the surrender of the army would be the beginning of the end, and it has been expressly stated by Mr. Ramsay MacDonald that in the framing of the new constitution the departments of defence and external affairs must be reserved for the Governor-General. If the Indian delegations will get. together in India and exercise the same earnestness and the same tolerance towards one another as they have shown at Whitehall there is no reason why a gooil Workable constitution should not be framed. THE GARRISON HALL We would suggest to the municipal authorities, the Returned Soldiers' Association, and the Unemployment Relief Committee that if is desirable for them all to get busy and strongly urge upon the Government the replacement of the Garrison Hall, destroyed by fire this week. The building was insured for a substantial sum, and the money should be immediately available for rebuilding purposes. In view of the history of the destroyed building, erected in Fitzhcrbort street in replacement of another garrison hall, the site of which was acquired for post oflice purposes, and which, like the building now in ruins, had proved of great service to the community, it is important that the proceeds of the insurance should not simply go into the exchequer and Gisborno be left without the facilities afforded by a ptiblL hall of that character. The Government may hold that as Defence Department operations have been reduced to a minimum a hall for drill purposes is not now required, but until the happy day when international disarmament is attained Xew Zealand imist always have the nucleus of a defence force, and Gisbornc be the centre of an extensive military district. Even for cadet training, which we hope on account of its physical advantages will never be completely abandoned, a drill hall is required, whilst such a building is invaluable for ceremonial functions and great public gatherings, as well as for such useful

purposes as winter show and industrial exhibitions, poultry shows, and trade displays. In this way, as well as by its use for amusement purposes, the hall was returning a fair amount of revenue to meet the expense of its upkeep. Its reconstruction out of the insurance money received by the State would involve no loss to the Government, whilst, on the other hand, it would confer a distinct benefit on Gisborne and prove a particularly opportune and utilitarian means of helping to minimise unemployment.'