STONY PATHWAY AHEAD FOR PARLEY ON INDIA

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1074, 11 September 1930, Page 9

STONY PATHWAY AHEAD FOR PARLEY ON INDIA

DELEGATES CHOSEN HOPES OF SOLUTION British Official Wireless Reed. 12.20 p.m. RUGBY, Wed. A list is issued of the Indian States’ representatives and the British Indian representatives invited by the Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin, on behalf of the British Government, to attend the Indian round-table conference, which will meet in London in a few weeks’ time. It is possible that as a result of the correspondence still proceeding other names may be added to the list. As it at present stands this now contains the names of 16 representatives of the Indian States and 50 representatives of British India. Among the former apiiear such wellknown Indian rulers and statesmen as the Maharajahs of Bikanir, Alwar Patiala and Nawanagar. The lastnamed is familiar to English sportsmen as Ranji, the famous cricketer.

The British Indian names are representatives of all shades of politics, with the exception of the Congress Party, and all Indian communities including martial races, Indian Christians, untouchables, the commercial' community, European community, with three representatives of Burma and two Indian women representatives. __ Among the names are those of Aga Khan, Mr. Jinnab, a prominent Moslem politician, who also enjoys the confidence of the Hindus, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, a well-known Liberal politician, Sasti, a leading Hindu politician and Sir Muhammad Shafi, a leading Moslem politician. NOT MERE MEETING

The round-table conference will he an assembly of immense importance. The suggestion that it should be held was first made in a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, by Sir John Simon, chairman of the Indian Statutory Commission. Its wide scope was indicated by the Viceroy in his address to the Indian Legislature two months ago, when he said: “The Government conceives of the conference not as a mere meeting for discussion and debate, but as a joint assembly of representatives of both countries, on whose agreement precise proposals to Parliament may he founded. “The conference will thus enjoy’ the unfettered right of examining the whole problem in all its hearings, with the knowledge that its labours are not of an academic mind, and the Government still hopes that Indians of all schools of thought, whatever the attitude some have hitherto taken, will be ready to share in this constructive work. PROPOSALS FOR PARLIAMENT “I see no reason why, from frank discussion on all sides, a scheme might not emerge for submission to Parliament, which would confound the pessimism of those who would tell us that it is impossible for Great Britain and India, or for various interests in India-, to reach an agreement.’ The names are not yet announced of the representatives from the Houses of Parliament. The Government has invited the leaders of the two opposition parties to nominate representatives to attend the conference from both Houses, hut the Prime Minister has made it clear that while the presence at the conference of representatives of other Parliamentary parties would in the Government’s view lead to a removal of difficulties and differences and would facilitate subsequent legislation, the Government could not throw off its constitutional responsibility, and must retain complete freedom regarding proposals it will, as the outcome of the conference, subsequently lay before Parliament by permission of the King Emperor. The conference will be held in St. James’s Palace.