NOT ANTI-BRITISH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 121, 25 May 1931, Page 6

NOT ANTI-BRITISH

GANDHI, EMPIRE BUILDER REV. H. W. AUSTIN'S OPINION. -* AN ADDRESS TO VETERANS. ' • SayinJ that he wanted to remove an.r misconception regarding one of the most outstanding men in the British. Empire to-day, the Rev. H. W. Austin told the annual meeting of the Wanganui Empire Veterans’ Association on Saturday night- something of Gandhi, who has figured prominently in tho recent news from India. Air Austin was proposing the toast of “The Empire. ’ ’ He said that in these times, with disturbances in Australia, unrest, over tho flag in South Africa, aud trouble in India, it was sometimes thought that tho ties of the Empire might be loosening somewhat. But it had been hard times that had driven the Empire together in the past, and he thought that, the Empire would be the more cemented by the present conditions. Many were against one who had figured in India of late. He had been reading a book ou Gandhi and said that ho would like to tell the meeting some- . thing of the man. When young. Gandhi had gone to England, Very much against his parents’ wishes, and had A been well educated there, passing his ■ solicitors’ examinations and being call- B ed to the Bar. At that time he waw W quite i< young “spark,” particular over ■ his dross nrjd not as he was seen in 1 present day photos. I

Then he went to South Africa, building up there a large practice as a solicitor. It was worth about £3OOO yearly. Trouble came in South Africa because the Government was going to tax those Indians that remained in the country. He explained that, the Indians came over to South. Africa to work for a certain time and then returned to India. It was then that Gandhi instituted his passive resistence campaign. Ho said with his followers, that he would not pay taxes and did not, going to prison for it. The South African War was the next development, and Gandhi raised an ambulance corps of WOO Indians for the British. He himself had carried Lord Roberts’ wounded sou off the field. On the day that England declared war on Germany, Gandhi returned to England, and immediately joined up with the Ambulance Corps. Eventually he was invalided home to India and then started out on a recruiting campaign through the Indian villages. Th® speaker mentioned by the way, that one million Indians had soon service in the Great War. The British Government had made promises to India of a large portion of self-government, but there followed * number of very stringent laws governing the Indian people. Gandhi felt that the British Government was wrong. lie was not antiEmpire, not anti-British, and was not anti-European. He believed that he was striving for the well-being and the right of the people of India, as a people of the British Empire. He was striving to make India a stronger and better part of the British Empire, and had the welfare of the British Empire at heart. In conclusion Mr Austin asked tha meeting to drink the toast of tho British Empire, and of those well-wishers for the Empire. Air N. G. Armstrong replied to the toast. He said that there was a younger generation growing up, and it was to the other older members of the community that they looked for guidance and a load in conduct. He urged those present to remember that if it. were not for the British Empire, New Zealand would not exist as the free country it is to-day, with its many privileges.