The Daily News TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1933. HOME RULE IN INDIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1933, Page 6

The Daily News

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1933. HOME RULE IN INDIA.

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At first sight the condemnation at Bombay of the proposals made by the latest Indian Round Table Conference would almost indicate the impossibility of bringing about any measure of selfgovernment in the Dependency. It was admitted when the conference closed its session in London that the work accomplished in its latest effort had gone further than had been hoped. The success of the. sessionhas generally been attributed to the good offices of the Conservative Secretary of. State for India, Sir Samuel Hoare. It is said that when the conference session began Sir Samuel, was regarded by the Indian delegates as an enemy to their nationalist hopes. They left London last December convinced of the Minister’s fundamental honesty and goodwill. Indian nationalism has now had convincing proof that all political parties in Great Britain are really desirous of seeing Federal government in India established. The conference set itself to secure an agreement between the British Indians and the Native States on differences relating to representation in the Federal Legislature and to Federal finance; to define more closely the “safeguards” necessary while autonomy is gradually introduced; and to fix a date when the new Federal authority could begin to function. In regard to the agreement with the Princes and British India, if no formal agreement was made, both parties had made it clear that they were ready to have the outstanding matters settled by the Imperial Government. In regard to safeguards agreements were reached in regard to such matters as the establishment of a reserve bank and special constituencies for minority communities, though there was some hesitancy upon the part of the Indian delegates to accept the wide powers conferred upon the Governor-General and the provincial Governors as tending to curtail the responsibility of the Indian Cabinets to their Legislatures. The chief bone of contention, and one to which the Indian delegates refused to agree, though without breaking up the Conference, was the “special responsibility” given the. Gover-nor-General for “securing the financial stability and credit of India.” The delegates foresaw that an attitude similar to that taken in Bombay last week was sure to follow their acceptance of these conditions. They felt that with defence, external rela-

tions, special protection of minorities, internal security, and last of all finance reserved to the Governor-General if desired, there is nothing left to the responsibility of the proposed Federal Cabinet. While this may be the Indian national view Great Britain knows that at best the delegation of selfgovernment to Indian peoples is a huge experiment. The hazards are great both to life and to property, and the outbursts of religious fanaticism even under direct British rule are ominous enough to convince the most earnest sympathiser with Indian Nationalism that there must be safeguards until Indians have proved that . they possess the faculty of self-government. English Ministers say, in effect, that the safeguards placed under the control of the Governor-General and his deputies will not interfere with the Indian Cabinets’ responsibilities unless a state of emergency arises. In other words that supervision will not be exercised unless self-govern-ment shows sign of breaking down. It is difficult to see how the probationary period can be avoided, and it is to be hoped that public men in India will see that self-government is a matter of growth as well as building, and will accept the large measure of co-operation Great Britain has offered. Sir Samuel Hoare said the Conference had defined “the field upon which the future Constitution” of India was to. be built; more important still “they had created an esprit de corps that was determined to see the building that was going to be reared both complete in itself and completed at the earliest possible date.” It will be a set-back for Indian Nationalism if its followers refuse, to accept a gesture so generously framed.