INDIAN CONSTITUTION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17472, 22 January 1931, Page 7

INDIAN CONSTITUTION

THE PROSPECTS AHEAD COMMUNAL DIFFICULTIES CNSOLVED QUESTIONS (British Official Wireless.) Rec. noon. RUGBY) Jan. 20. Now thai the Round-Table Conference lias ended the Indian delegates are re turning home to explain in greater detail the prospects it opened for a new Indian constitution and to continue, it is hoped, the efforts to reach a settlement, on the communal difficulties. The Indian problem promises also to be in the forefront of political discussions in ibis country. A White Paper on the conference, will be issued by the Government in a few days, and the debute on ii probably will take place in the House of Commons next week. After a conciliatory .speech at the last plenary session by 'Lord Reel, the declaration hi Mr. Baldwin is awaited with esjiccial interest. Last night the Prune Minister, daring a broadcast speech on the conference, said: " Although it ceased sitting in Loudon the work will be at once begun upon its (hidings and its unsolved questions. L'pon Hie foundations laid a superstructure complete in every detail, v, ijl have to be built up." He emphasised the fact that the hold ing of the conference was not a sign of weakness by tin* British authorities in the face of' civil disorders. These; indeed, had placed difficulties in the way of its taking place. The conference was a sequel to the assurances given by the Viceroy and British statesmen that increasing powers of self-government should be gradually given to India. His conference colleagues were returning home not only with political proposals in their pockets, but with what was far more valuable, the conviction that Britain was genuinely enlisted in the cause of Indian self-government and that it was only concerned with how if cart be carried to practical success. Mr. Lloyd George, speaking at the Liberal dinner to the Indian delegates, associated the whole Liberal Party with Lord Reading's declaration that while the goal was a long way off the difficulties here and in India could not be underrated. He said be. was convinced that public opinion, without distinction of party, would be. prepared to go the whole length of the conference proposals if all went well in India during the next few months. Criticism of the proceedings at the conference was expressed last night by Mr. Winston Churchill, who said that the eloquent well meant speeches at the closing session might not represent' a very large body of British and Conservative opinion, and by Lord Brentford, who foresaw in the event of self-govern-ment being granted (o India, riot, bloodshed, and the destruction of till Britain had done for the well-being of millions of Indians who were not political and desired to live in peace, happiness, and security.