India Quieter

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 982, 27 May 1930, Page 9

India Quieter

SITUATION MORE HOPEFUL

Local Fights Continue

SETTLEMENT HOPED FROM CONFERENCE

British Official Wireless Received 12.-3 p.m. Kl t.i >\ . Monday. THE situation in India was discussed in the House of Commons this evening, during tiie debate on the India Office vote. Sir "Wedgwood Benn, Secretary for India, said, despite newspaper headlines, the vast majority of the Indian people in urban areas, and certainly in rural areas, pursued daily their avocations under the benevolence of settled and ordered Government.

It was true, he went on, the Governmental machine was designed by English hands, but it was today mainly operated by Indian, hands, not only in positions of high control, but almost exclusively in its subordinate branches. Dealing statistically with some aspects of national life, he said there were few countries in the world that in the matter of external trade could give a better showing than India. Last year private trading in merchandise showed an available balance of £55,000,000, and in the four preceding years the trade balance was equally good. As regards public expenditure, last year’s Budget closed with a balance on the right side, and although it was found that on the basis of existing taxation there would be a deficiency, the Government of India, with the support of the Legislative Council, presented a Budget w r hich would at any rate balance and perhaps show a surplus. It would also maintain in the eyes of the world the solid financial position in w'hich India had always stood. Last week the Government floated a loan of £7,000,000, which was oversubscribed. The price of Indian securities on tile London market was higher now than it was on January 1, despite all the events which had occurred in the meantime. PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURE Although there was a large public debt in India, 80 per cent, of it was represented by productive assets. Remarkable progress had been made with the electrification of the railway and 28,000,000 acres, or nearly 13 per cent, of the whole crop, of India had been brought under irrigation at a cost of £75,000,000. When the schemes now under construction were completed the total area under irrigation would be nearly 40,000,000 acres. Regarding the trade and industrial position generally, during the last 20 years India’s overseas’ trade had nearly doubled in agriculture, and the number of members of co-operative credit societies had Increased from 300,000 to 3,500,000.

Those who rightly desired to uplift the peasant or' industrial worker should not overlook the magnificent work carried on by Englishmen in cooperation with Indians. Under the present constitution in India in the last ten years more progress had been made in industrial legislation than in the preceding 50 years. Dealing with the development of relations betwen the Home Government and the Government of India, Captain Wedgwood Benn pointed out that the growth of self-government in the British Commonwealths had been carried out in various forms. STRENGTH OF FORCES

The Government of India was looking more and more for the approval and support of the legislature, and Indian public opinion for really effective and lasting growth of the measure of self-government. The military force in India consisted of the Army, Air Force and Marines, and there had been no material change in its strength since it was reorganised after the war. Capt. Benn alluded to recent disturbances, which he said had been confined to urban districts. Generally speaking the Mohammedans had held aloof. The disturbances might be described accurately as sporadic rather til am general. In some recent resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee at Allahabad, a proposal was made that these disturbances should be extended. So far the resolutions had not been put into effective force and it was not the intention of the Government that they should be permitted to be made effective.

Referring to the position on the north-west frontier province and in the tribal area, he said since the April disturbances Peshawar had been quiet and normal life had been or was being resumed; but outside Peshawar the centre of the disturbance was caused by a leader called Hadji, of Turangzai, and his son, who settled themselves in a hill north-east of Peshawar.

HELPING VICEROY Action was taken against them and was proving effective. On the whole, the tribal situation had greatly improved. There had been no hostile movements of any trihe as a whole. Capt. Benn extended his sympathy to the District Magistrates and officers of local governments and the Government of India in their difficulties and dangers, and said that in this matter, as in all others, there had never been between the Government and the Viceroy anything but relations of the warmest understanding and strongest support.

He looked forward to the day when Indian liberty should be enlarged and she should take her place as a full self-governing Dominion, Within a very few weeks we shorn* . have the Simon report, and the next stage was a conference to consider the question of constitutional advance and the co-operation of those who could speak authoritatively.

HOPES OF PEACE Speaking of the statement of the | Viceroy, Captain Benn said: “The policy stands and the goal is accepted j by ail parties, but there are difflcu,i- ; ies on the way to the goal. These j difficulties do not exist exclusively or : mainly on this side. They are ; largely Indian difficulties, and it is j from the Indian opinion we must j seek a solution. "I make bold to say that if at this ! conference substantial agreement j are reached no Government will \ likely ignore its work.” For many years the two countries | had been linked together for the an- | doubted well-being of both. Was it j too much to hope that the bitterness : might now L* cast om so that the 1

future might see the rebirth of mutual understanding and of strength. The Government of India’s appreciation of the situation up to May 24 states the tribal ’ situation in the north-west frontier is definitely easier and the situation in the North-West Province shows an improvement. The chief weapon of the antiGovernment agitators is now the dissemination of false reports, but active steps are being taken to counter these statements, and give further information. POLICE FIRE ON MOB Regarding the riot at Mymensingh, Bengal, on May 14, when a large hostile mob, failing in its attempt to prevent the delivery of excise liquor to vendors, attacked the magistrate, the police and excise staff with brickbats. Persuasions, warnings and charges by the police failing to secure the dispersal of the mob, which continued its violent attacks, the police were ordered to fire. About 40 Government servants were injured and 53 rioters were treated at hospital, of whom one died.

During the week under review there has been no serious outbreak, but in several places tbe police have had to disperse disorderly crowds. In Sholapur conditions are fast becoming normal, and it is hoped martial law may shortly he discontinued. Persistent efforts to spread hostile propaganda in the Punjab villages continue. Apparently the villagers have been little affected, except in Gujarat, where the situation is causing anxiety. The chief feature of the campaign against the salt tax laws has been the change of tactics.

In the Bombay Presidency technical breaches of the law have been largely abandoned in favour of mass action. These tactics definitely failed at Shiroda where the raids have been abandoned. They achieved temporary success at Wasala. on May 18, but subsequent attempts failed. INFLUENCE AT CONGRESS The chief efforts of Congress have been made at Dharasana on May 21, when a crowd estimated at 2,600 tried to force their way in. The attempts were foiled, thanks ■to the skill and endurance shown by the police, the timely arrival of troops and also by the moral effect of their presence, which gave much needed relief to the police. On May 22 the police cleared the Congress camp and the position is now quiet, although there are reports that the attempts will shortly be renewed. Congress continues its policy of disseminating deliberately of false reports and rumours, and every effort is being made by Congress, by means of propaganda, to stimulate anti-Govern-ment and radical feelings. The assurance given to minorities by the Viceroy on May 13 continues to receive their warm approval, which is increasing in strength as they appreciate the implications of the methods of mass action as now practised by Congress. The conviction is growing among the Mohammedans that the civil disobedience movement is opposed to their interests and security. Labour is at present steady.