ADVICE FOR CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1930, Page 9

ADVICE FOR CONFERENCE

INDIAN EXPERTS’ POSITION"

NO WIDER REPRESENTATION

ANNOYANCE OF OPPOSITION

(British Official Wireless.) , Rec. 6.30 p.m. Rugby, July 30.

The subject of the Indian round-table conference was again raised in both Houses of Parliament to-day. Lord Reading, in the House of Lords, supported by the Conservative leader, Lord Salisbury, asked the Government to give effect to the urgent representations made yesterday that Sir John Simon should be invited to be a member of the conference.

Earl Russell, Under-Secretary for India, replying, said the question and those involved in it had been exhaustively considered by the Government in consultation with the Indian Government. The Statutory Commission had performed its task with distinction which would secure for its report a prominent place in official political literature. When the conference now contemplated was proposed by the chairman of the Commission with the consent of his colleagues, the Government alone was to have taken upon itself negotiations. “We have widened this so that Parliament in its varied composition may be represented,” said Earl Russell. “The Government is certain it will be advisable to halt there and not add another section of representatives to the delegates announced yesterday,’* “The Government is confident that the representatives to be selected will be able to get from the conference the fullest examination of every proposal brought before it, that every opportunity will be taken to secure the most expert and well-informed advice wherever it is. to be found, and that it will, he available for Government and Parliamentary representatives. The Government is convinced any departure from, this decision will not ease the task.” This was the answer to a question by Sir Austen Chamberlain, who, however, said the answer hardly met his point* which was that the chairman of the commission, Sir John Simon, should be present at the conference so that his services could be made available to the conference.

Mr. Lloyd George, said he understood from the Prime Minister that the Government left it open to summon anybody who had expert knowledge of matters to be considered by the conference in order to aid the conference in coming to a decision. He therefore asked the Prime Minister whether he would not close his mind to the question of summoning their aid to the examination of this very grave problem. He understood the Indian Legislature would be represented probably by those chosen by both Houses to examine this problem. The Prime Minister said that raised a totally different point. If the conference wanted advice and asked for it, it would get it, and if British delegates wanted advice they would get it. How it was to be provided was a matter on which he had not had time to go into details.

The conference would not meet until November after the Imperial Conference, but Mr. MacDonald wanted to make it perfectly clear the Government had come to a definite decision that it. would not be advisable to have other categories, of delegates than those mentioned yesterday and to-day. Sir Austen then asked for an undertaking that if any of the delegations desired the presence of members of.the Commission their services not as members should be available within the conference.

The Prime Minister, replying, said he declined to go further than the considered statement he had made.

Ultimately Sir Austen asked the Speaker if he could have leave to move an adjournment of the House to-mor-. row to discuss the refusal of the Government to invite the chairman of the Commission to take part in the conference. The Speaker pointed out that such' a motion under the Standing Orders should not be moved now, but said he would consider the motion on its merits when submitted.