NATIVES DEFIANT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16542, 28 September 1921, Page 8

NATIVES DEFIANT.

PROPAGATING DISLOYALTY. TROUBLE BREWING IN INDIA. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Ueceivt'd September 28, 10.55 a.m.) DELHI, September 26. A column of the Dorset Regiment Tvaa ambushed on Saturday. Two were killed and one wounded. The rebels lqst one killed and fifteen captured, a quantity of firearms and swords. The column, on pushing into Nilanibur, was re-attacked, and one was killed and seven wounded. The rebels had twenty killed. A column of Suff oiks captured twenty-four Moplahs. There is rebel activity north oi Walluvanada. The population is fleeing and abandoning all their property. In the Council Lord IT awl in son, Com-Tuander-in-Ohief, stated t hat be had reduced the garrisons and had abandoned the cantonments in the rebellious areas. Due to the reduction of the British infantry in India, it was impossible with the limited troops to station a detaclimeut in every locality where there was possibility of outbreaks. (Received September 28. 12.50 p.m-) DELHI, September 27. A secret meeting of the Moslem and TJlemas religious leaders reaffirmed their belief in the statements for which tho Ali brothers and other non-co-operation leaders are being tried and sanctioned civil disobedience of the laws. The meeting also decided to reprint a proscribed manifesto urging disloyalty amongst troops and to distribute it broadcast; also that it be publicly reaa from all Khalifat patforms. These decisions are tantamount to a defiance of the Government. The Khalifat (an Indian rendering of Caliphate) movement was set on foot imong the Moslems of India by the Ali brothers with the object of bringing pressure to bear upon Britain to preserve tho integrity of Turkey, and to permit the Sultan as Caliph to retain the guardianship of Mecca and Medina. The ulterior aim of the agitation, howover. is to render British dominion unporular in India. By choosing a religious noint as their grievance the Ali Krothor-c aim at avoHirp the nit falls or Hmdu-Mo.qlem politics and exciting tlm fanaticism of their m-relieionists yiflmMt treading unon Hindu snaeeptibihties.