CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1930, Page 7

CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT

LESS AGITATION IN INDIA’

CLOTH BOYCOTT WEAKER

EFFECTIVE LOCAL’ ACTIO#

CURB ON ILLEGAIr BODIES

British Wireless.

Rec. 5.5 p.m.

Rugby, Oct. 13.

The Government of India’s review of the situation to October 11 states that the latest provincial reports for the most part record a continued improve-, ment in the general situation, in internal India. This is particularly mark-, ed in Madras, Bengal and the Punjab, and in the first-named province the civil disobedience movement has now practically ceased. In the United Provinces there has also been an improvement, but activities in some districts have made it necessary for the local govern- ; ment to declare unlawful a number of local associations. •.

Agitation is reported to be on the decline in the Central Provinces, and breach of the forest laws is now on a much smaller scale than a ■ few weeks ' ago, although a further clash with the police arising out of this form of law-, lessneiss has been reported. The picketing of liquor shops is almost in abeyance, but, as in several other province's, one result of the crusade against licensed shops has been an increase in illicit distillation. Bihar and Orissa continues to record steady improyements, but the prevalence of illegal activities in some districts necessitates arrests on a considerable' scale. On the other hand, the number of those who offer apologies is increasing, and this feature is common in most of the provinces.

BOYCOTT OF FOREIGN GOODS

The boycott of foreign goods is the main plank of the congress programme, and in Bombay attempts are being made to extend picketing to provision and other shops. The revolt of Indian dealers is growing, and several provinces report that foreign cloth is being sold openly-in many places, but so far.as the purchase of new stocks is concerned there has not yet been a definite breakaway from the boycott in the large distributing country, where trade / conditions remain in a deplorable state, t During the week there has been some talk in Congress quarters of an attempt ,to set up in some directions a parallel system of Government. A similar experiment was tried during the non-co-operation movement in. 1921-22, and definitely failed. It is not improbable it has been put forward at this stage as a spectacular moye, which may revive flagging interest. An unlawful associations ordinance was promulgated during the week and confers powers by which, the Government can occupy land and buildings used for the purpose of an association that has been declared unlawful and can forfeit movable-property used for the same purpose. It afeo contains a provision making membership of an unlawful association, a cognisable offence, and this is now operative throughout India. The provisions relating to property have been extended in,.the first instance to the Bombay Presidency only, and. the local government has already taken ae-i tion under it in Gujerat,. where .the support given to the movement in its early stages was more on a mass scale than elsewhere and the congress succeeded in "establishing a firm hold in many of districts concerned. Its headquarters are often established in the finest house in the village and serve as centres from Which volunteers invite the people of the countryside to commit breaches of the law and to refuse payment of land revenue. For some weeks past a vigorous campaign has been in progress to persuade the people not to pay the next instalment of land revenue. The declaration as unlawful of the associations responsible for these activities and the occupation of the headquarters of the more important of them should have a salutary effect on the situation.