EXPERTS AT CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1930, Page 9

EXPERTS AT CONFERENCE

THE SITUATION ALTERED

SIR JOHN SIMON’S ATTITUDE

CONSERVATIVES WITHDRAW

British Wireless. Rugby, July 31. In the House of .Commons to-night Sir Austen Chamberlain said he had intended to make a further appeal to tho Government regarding its decision not to invito representatives of the Staututory Commission on India to be delegates at the round-table conference, but this morning he had received a letter from Sir John Simon, chairman of the commission, which altered the situation.

In it Sir John said he would have welcomed the opportunity to serve on the conference had the Government so wished, but the Prime Minister had stated that there were very strong reasons which make it undesirable. Oi course it will be difficult for. the commission’s report to receive fair or adequate treatment in a conference which includes no one who can either expound our recommendation with authority or explain on behalf of the commission the considerations or evidence which must be weighed before criticism of the report can be regarded as well founded, but I can. well understand that by this arrangement it is hoped to attract to the conference some Indian elements which might otherwise be unwilling to come,” Sir John wrote. Sir John added that the opportunity, however, would remain for the commissioners to take part in the discussions which must follow. Sir Austen warmly praised the tone of the letter, and said that obviously he could now make no further appeal to the Government to reconsider its decision, for the consequences of which tho Government would be wholly responsible. He paid a warm tribute to the services of the commission. The. Secretary for India, Captain Wedgwood Benn, associated the Govern'ment with this tribute, and said the Government’s decision was based on the simple grounds that at the round-table conference British delegates would meet Indian delegates with an open mind. The work of the Statutory Commission was done and its conclusions presented. The conference would consider that among other, matters. The absence of the commissioners from the conference was, he contended, a perfectly natural and proper thing.