SITUATION IN INDIA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19374, 24 December 1932, Page 17

SITUATION IN INDIA

REPORT TO BRITISH HOUSE EVIDENCE OF BETTER SPIRIT British Official Wireless RUGBY, December 22. Sir Samuel Hoare made a statement on India during the debate on the adjournment of the House of Commons. He said as far as he could judge the situation in India was definitely better.

The Ottawa Agreemeht had been passed by the Assembly by 77 to 25 votes—very significant evidence of goodwill between the Indian Legislature and the Imperial Parliament. As to the emergency orders, he had always hated them, and pone wished to see them imposed unless absolutely necessary. He was glad to be able to announce that as far as he could see, by the beginning of the new year there need be no further emergency orders.

Referring to the suggestion of a previous Opposition speaker that there had been a change in the Government’s attitude toward the Indian Conference, Sir Samuel Hoare said he could say quite categorically that there was no difference at all. They were trying to get exactly the same results as before. A great measure of agreement had been reached not only between the Government in Britain and India, but also with the Indian delegation in London. The Government would do everything in its power to increase the forces of goodwill, and would show a willingness to co-operate with India if India would co-operate with them. With regard to the labour conditions revealed in the Whitley report. Sir Samuel Hoare said the administration of labour questions was a transferred subject, and the India Office, therefore, had little or no control, but his advisers and himself were fully alive to the need for a great improvement, and all the influence they could exert would be in the direction of helping both the Central and Provincial Governments to do everything possible to raise the standard of labour conditions generally,

After the debate, in which besides India, various aspects of the unemployment problems and the working of the coal quota were discussed, the House of Commons rose late this afternoon until February 7, Power has been given to the Speaker, however, to call the House together earlier if required by public interest.