BURMA GOVERNMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1935, Page 5

BURMA GOVERNMENT

ADVOCACY OF SEPARATION.

INDIA BILL DEBATE CONTINUES.

British Official Wireless.

Rec. 5.5 p.m.

Rugby, April 10.

When consideration of the transitional provisions of the Government of India Bill was completed to-day in the House of Commons, 297 clauses had been dealt with.

The next part of the Bill, Part 14, deals with Burma and, in accordance with the promise given earlier with the general assent of the committee, there was a debate on the question of the separation of Burma. A motion for the omission of Part 14 on the ground that the same progress towards self-government had not been made in Burma as in India Was opposed by Sir Samuel Hoare, who said the statutory commission came very definitely to the view that the great weight of opinion in Burma was in favour of separation. The result of the Round Table Conference confirmed that view, as did the Joint Select Committee. His inquiries convinced him that a strong feeling in Burma still favoured separation. The Government, however, insisted that every possible step be taken to avoid a sudden dislocation of the economic bonds that had grown up between India and Burma. Accordingly the Joint Select Committee recommended that there should be an interim period before the new Government became established and, as a result of discussions between the two Governments, the view was reached that a status quo for five years should be maintained, during which trade relations between India and Burma would continue as at present. He invited the views of members as to the length of the interim period. He thought it would be wise in the interim period to leave the Governments to make the best arrangements they could for Burma and India provided British trade did not suffer from the position. When the interim period came to an end the British Government would be free to make whatever arrangements it could with the Government of Burma, where there, ought to be wider opportunities for British trade.