INDIA CONFERENCE

Southland Times, Issue 21288, 8 January 1931, Page 7

INDIA CONFERENCE

i STEADY PROGRESS

AN IMPORTANT POINT SETTLED CONSERVATIVE ATTITUDE (British Official Wireless.) ' Rugby, January 7. Acceptance of the principle of responsibility of the Executive to the Legislature as the centre was announced yesterday by Lord Reading on behalf of the Liberal section of the British delegation to the India Conference. This is generally regarded as a highly important development. The newspapers state that the Government, section of the delegation is also prepared to adopt this principle. A more hopeful view is also taken regarding the efforts to reach, agreement on Hindu-Moslem differences. The Aga Khan returned from Paris last night and two hours after his arrival, following an informal conversation with some of his fellow Moslem delegates, a joint meeting lasted until nearly midnight, and was engaged on exploring the possibilities of a settlement on the lines indicated in the offer of Sir Chimanlal Setalvad last week. The Aga Khan is not fully recovered from his indisposition. The Conservative attitude towards Indian claims to responsibility, with, due safeguards at the federal centre, was stated in the Federal Structure' Sub-Committee by Sir Samuel Hoare. He said that none of the conditions which were associated with the idea of responsible government in Britain appeared to exist at present in India. An Indian Cabinet would not be unitary in the British sense. The more he thought of the difference between the Indian position and the British the more formidable became his doubts. lie might have exaggerated the difficulties, but he was certain the constitution suggested by Sir Tej Sapru would be so complicated and vulnerable to criticism that it would be workable only on the basis of wide acceptance and goodwill in India itself, and they had no evidence at present that such would be forthcoming. He doubted the wisdom of attempting to apply the British House of Commons system to the All-India Federation. He was against setting up a big popular assembly on the lines of the House of Commons and direct election, because the huge size of India and conditions of its population would make any imitation of the British political system impracticable. He questioned the wisdom of attempting to impose the British theory of Cabinet responsibility upon a Government that would differ in all respects from the British Government. He feared it would end in blurring responsibility and in weakening the Viceroy’s position and in making the' central Government of a great continent in which there was much inflammable material unstable at the very moment when they were introducing two great experiments of the All-India Federation and provincial autonomy. They had been appealed to by Sir Tej Sapu not to adopt a non possumus attitude. He responded to that appeal, but because of his doubt he was bound to adopt a non-com-mittal attitude to the question of responsibility at the centre. Sir Tej Sapru then asked whether Sir Samuel Hoare contemplated a federation without responsibility at the centre. Sir Samuel Hoare replied that he wished to see a completed picture before answering, and the chairman said the committee must now start and fill in the picture.

When the Minorities Sub-Committee met again this afternoon, Sir Muhammad Shafi made an offer on behalf of Moslems to forgo separate electorates, but attached to it conditions which Dr Moonje declared unacceptable. Sir Muhammad Shafi said that although an overwhelming majority of Moslems still insisted on the retention of separate electorates, the Moslem delegates would accept joint electorates provided the Hindus were willing to concede through joint electorates to the Moslems of Bengal and Punjab representation in both Houses of the Legislative Councils on a population basis in proportion to their population in those two provinces. That offer he described as the irreducible minimum.

Dr Moonje. said he Was unable to accept Sir Muhammad Shafi’s conditions, and added that, if all claims all minorities had made were added up the Hindus’ majority would actually be in a minority of about 35 per cent, of seats. During the debate Dr Moonje was invited to make proposals himself, and it was indicated also that further suggestions might come from the Moslems. The Prime Minister said he was still hopeful of a settlement, and proposed that he, as chairman, should summarize the opposing claims in the form of a draft report, on which discussion might be resumed. He urged them meanwhile to continue private conversations. SITUATION IN INDIA GOVERNMENT’S WEEKLY REVIEW. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, January 7. The Government of India’s appreciation of the situation during the week ending January 3, referring to recent mob violence in Bombay City, says that the hooligan element continues to take an active part in the demonstrations. A number of police were injured by stone-throwing and private cars were damaged. An elaborate arrangement by the Congress organization to declare at a midnight meeting on December 31 in the city a resolution of independence was denounced by the authorities and meetings and processions' were prevented with difficulty, but there were outbreaks of hooliganism, and hostile mobs severely attacked the police picket which was forced to open fire. Referring to Burma, it states that, the rebellion in the Tharawaddy district is being brought under control, and is no longer a cause for serious concern.