LAW AND ORDER IN INDIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 19093, 27 January 1932, Page 7

LAW AND ORDER IN INDIA.

CONGRESS CHALLENGE ACCEPTED VICEROY ISSUES FIRM STATEMENT. United Pi-ess Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright CALCUTTA, January 25. The Viceroy (Lord Willingdon), addressing the Legislative Assembly at New Delhi, reviewed the political situation. He declared that there had been no departure by himself or the Government from the path of conciliation until Congress itself had wantonly torn up the path. No Government worth the name would hesitate to accept the challenge. Compromise was impossible with those who chose to break the law. There could be no reactionary measures while circumstances made them necessary. The Viceroy referred to the improved price of agricultural products, declaring that the country’s economic situation enjoyed sound health, and compared favourably with other countries. As a result of keeping the rupee linked with the sterling India’s floating debt had been reduced from £63,000,000 to £45,000,000. There was a marked improvement in India's credit. STERN MEASURES PROPOSED. CHECKING CONGRESS ACTIVITIES United Press Association—By Electrlo Telegraph—Copyright (Received January 26, 7.30 p.m.) CALCUTTA, January 25. The Government's determination to prevent demonstrations in connection with Congress celebration of Independence Day, is exemplified by an order in Calcutta calling on the corporation to close all public squares in the city and requiring obedience to the order. SUMMARY OF WEEK’S EVENTS. “GRADUALLY SATISFACTORY 'TENDENCY.” United Pre.es Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyrigh t (Received January 26, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, January 25. A summary of the week’s events in India shows a generally satisfactory tendency. The main features have been the diminishing extent to which arrests under the emergency powers ordinances have been necessary, especially in the north-west Frontier Province, where a steady improvement has been recorded, the most peaceful condition in the towns of the United Provinces, and the very slight extent to which the rural areas are at present affected. On the other hand Congress is apparently making efforts to recover from the effects of the initial blow dealt them by the authorities, and some extension of their activities have occurred in particular areas, and the effects of the silent boycott is more marked. Checking Gandhi-ism. Gandhi's secretary (Pyarelal) who accompanied him to England, has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour at Ahmedabad for sedition. Gandhi's European and Indian disciples in his settlement in Ahmedabad, having refused to pay £3O revenue demands, the Government confiscated hay and straw to that amount. BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN. SHOWS NO SIGN OF ABATING. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright CALCUTTA, January 25. The campaign to boycott British goods shows no signs of abating in Calcutta and Bombay, where there is organised victimisation and extortion at the bazaars by Congress agents. Bombay, selling exclusively foreign goods, is plastered with posters bearing boycott slogans, and merchants refusing to subscribe to Congress funds are threatened by gangs of hooligans. In some cases shops have been looted and wrecked, because the owners refused to obey the Congress mandate to close in sympathy with the arrest of the Congress chiefs. This new form of oppression resulted in the Bombay stock exchange being virtually closed for three weeks.