CHEERFUL VIEW OF INDIA

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1933, Page 7

CHEERFUL VIEW OF INDIA

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ENDS FEW ADHERENTS REMAIN ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT READJUSTMENT OF TAXES By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rugby, July 17. In his India Office speech in the House of Commons Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary for India, took a cheerful view of the general outlook. /He that ths questions interesting the administrators in India to-day were not so much questions connected with civil disobedience or law and order as the general field of administration, particularly important questions in the social and economic rather than the political field. Thanks to the efforts of the great body of officials in India, both British and Indian, backed in recent months by the growing body of public opinion expressing itself in the Provincial Councils, civil disobedience had become a matter of secondary importance. Referring to the finer record with regard to health, Sir Samuel said that a new drug had been discovered which, as far as the medical advisers could judge, would be effective in preventing relapses that for years had been at the back of the malaria epidemic. Still further advances had been made in irrigation and the work was being continued. The various projects, four of which at present were in hand, covered areas of more than, a million acres. When they were completed the total area, irrigated would be 40,000,000 acres. The crops last season, and the prospects for the year were satisfactory. AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS. Probably the most difficult problem facing the Indian agricultural community, apart from the question of price, was that of land revenue and taxation. Thanks chiefly to the far-sighted initiative of the provincial governments involving in the space of three months a reduction of rents and taxation to the extent of over £6,000,000, a readjustment of agricultural holdings had been made which seemed to have been accepted as fair by both landlords and tenants. Trade reports were becoming more encouraging and the prices of several commodities had risen. Trade in India had increasingly resumed its normal course undisturbed by political agitation. Sir Samuel, dealing with the financial position, said that the government of India might look back with satisfaction on the improvement effected, although it entailed high taxation and civil retrenchment. Good securities had risen and borrowing had been effected at declining rates. The improvement in the general feeling towards law and order was demonstrated by the provincial legislatures, the passage of legislation to replace ordinance and the' fact that interest in civil disobedience had fallen to such a low ebb that its suspension at the beginning of Gandhi’s recent fast made little or no practical difference. There was only a fifth of the civil disobedience of a year ago and a tenth of that of three years ago, although the great majority of the Congress committee members were not in prison at all. REPLY FROM VICEROY. In the course of a reply to Gandhi refusing an interview the Viceroy said: “I would gladly have seen you, but it would seem that you are still, opposed to withdrawing the civil disobedience movement except on conditions to be negotiated with the Government. It also appears that, unless the'Congress reaches a settlement as the result of such discussion civil disobedience will be resumed on August 1. “I hardly need remind you that as civil ’ disobedience is wholly unconstitutional the Government cannot enter any negotiations for its withdrawal, but if the Congress desires to resume its position as a constitutional party the way is open as it has always beep.” Gandhi is not satisfied with the Viceroy’s definite refusal to see him and has sent a rejoinder expressing surprise at the tone of Viscount Willingdon’s telegram which, he declares, is based on unauthorised reports of what happened at the conference of Congress leaders. Gandhi declares that a personal interview would clear up the misunderstanding, but it is anticipated that the Viceroy will repeat his refusal to grant an interview.

In the House of Commons Sir Samuel Hoare said that the Viceroy’s reply to Gandhi had the full concurrence of the Government. General support for law and order in India was daily becoming stronger, and a summary of Indian Press views indicated a strong feeling among the All-India Congress rank and file against continuance of the unlawful and unconstitutional programme. There was only one course open to the Government. There could be no question of making a bargain with the Congress as a condition of its acceptance of the ordinary obligations of lawabiding citizens.