THE INDIA BILL

Southland Times, Issue 25310, 13 June 1935, Page 7

THE INDIA BILL

UNSATISFACTORY CONCESSIONS.

CRITICISM BY MISS JEAN BEGG.

(Per United Press Association.) Hamilton, June 11.

Describing the concessions as most unsatisfactory to advanced Indian thought, Miss Jean Begg, national secretary of the Young Women’s Christian Association., in India, strongly criticized what she considered the hesitating steps towards self-government taken in the new India Bill, when she addressed the Hamilton Rotary Club. She considered the “tragic Indian situation” could have been averted haa political freedom in some measure been granted 15 years ago. Miss Begg said the concessions in the India Bill were hedged about with considerable safeguards to meet possible emergencies. The Bill looked characteristically British, and sought the easy middle path. It fell far short of what was desired by advanced political thought in India itself, although in England the, Conservative standpoint considered it a rash experiment. It had to be acknowledged, however, that the provisions of the Bill were far in advance of what had been set down in the old Constitution, but many would have preferred the scheme to have gone further towards self-government. Behind the strong criticism, and even denunciation, that were heard in India at the terms suggested there was a feeling of bitter disappointment, for it had been hoped that the new proposals might have been of the greatest help in cementing relationships between Britain and India. There was obviously no prospect of dominion status for India, and this had hurt its countrymen more than the foreigner could tell.