WEEKLY REPORT ON INDIA

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1930, Page 9

WEEKLY REPORT ON INDIA

SITUATION FAIRLY QUIET POWER OF CONGRESS WANING GOVERNMENT’S VIEWPOINT GROWTH OF PUBLIC OPINION British Wireless. Rugby, Sept. 23. The Government of India's appreciation of the situation up to September 20 states there is little to report from the North-west Frontier Province and so far as specific incidents are concerned the week in internal India has been com. paratively quiet. , A recent report received from the Bombay Government shown the efforts made by the Congress during the latter half of last month to capture Labour in Bombay city met with very moderate success and there are diverse influences at work likely to prevent anything in the nature of a serious lab our movement in favour of the Congress. The numbers of unemployed millhands continues to increase although, perhaps, not so rapidly a* was apprehended. Elsewhere the labour situation is generally satisfactory. During the week elections were held in Bombay city, and the methods adopted by the Congress volunteers brought them in collision with the police on several occasions, but no serious incident occurred. In spite of various devices adopted by the Congress it may now be assumed that, apart from the absence of Congress representation, the constitution of the various legislative bodies will be little affected. The civil disobedience movement has conspicuously failed to impair the working of the legislative councils or the administration by the Ministers of the transferred departments except insofar as it has weakened the financial resources of the provincial governments both by a reduction of revenue and an increase of expenditure, the unfortunate consequences of which have been seriously to curtail the beneficicnt activities of local governments to the grave injury of the public. Prospect* that public opinion will play an-, effective part in the disruption of the civ'll disobedience movement are now better than at any time since the movement began. There are unmistakeable signs that popular resentment is increasing in various directions. The intransigent attitude of the Congress leaders during the peace conversations and their disregard for the sufferings of others have strengthened the position of the Government supporters and have shaken the confidence of many Congress followers. APPREHENSIONS AROUSED. The methods of. domination that have been the outstanding feature of the Congress programme have aroused the apprehensions of the minority communities and have stiffened their opposition. The attempted boycott of the educational in‘titutions has created a* reaction among parents and students and the boycott of foreign goods and the widespread loss it has caused to Indians are gradually but surely alienating from the Congress the sympathy of an important section of the Hindu middle class, on whose support the Congress programme largely depends. The impression produced by the propaganda disseminated by the Congress agents claiming assured success toi their programme and their early accession to power is rapidly evaporating. It may still have an ephemeral effect in some rural areas, but it is not a factor which will seriously postpone the inevitable collapse of the movement. Similarly the latest reports from the North-West Frontier Province record a •'cneral improvement in the situation, due largely to the fact that the people are now convinced by hard facts that the stories of the collapse of British power are mythical. At the same time the influence is increasing of supporter* of law and order. Broadly speaking, the public is in no doubt as to the ultimate issue, and the psychological advantage this gives to the Government is, a factor of great and growing importance. One natural effect i* to direct greater attention toward* constitutional methods, which it has been the consistent policy of the Government to encourage all parties and communities to adopt. It is not, however, to be assumed that the Congress has exhausted its capacity for mischief. There are already signs /of a recrudescence of the salt campaign, and efforts will doubtless be made to stir up the 'rural areas where the conditions are favourable to the non-payment of Government dues. Sporadic troubles may occur in consequence. Endeavours will also be made to maintain and even to tighten the boycott c l foreign goods. On the whole, while there is good reason to take a sanguine view of the future, there is no justification for any relaxation of effort.