NON-CO-OPERATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 192, 15 August 1931, Page 8

NON-CO-OPERATION

THE INDIAN CONFERENCE CONGRESS REACHES DECISION [ British Official Wireless. ] RUGBY, Aug. 13. News reachedLLondon to-day that the All India Congress, hitting at Bombay, had decided not to co-operate at the London Round Table Conference*. The decision was arrived at following the receipt by Mr Gandhi of what was regarded as an unsatisfactory reply from the Viceroy, to whom he addressed a grievance, alleging coercion in the collection of land tax in Gujerat, Bombay. The Government found that only their ordinary legal procedure had been followed and there had been no breach of th< Delhi truce. Althought the decision of the Congress will be received with regret, the Conference will proceed with the work according to plan. The co-operation of Congress in the Conference was one of the primary objects of the agreement arrived at between Lord Irwin and Mr Gandhi. The authorities in India carried out the terms of the agreement, both in the letter and the spirit. Everything possible consistent with the responsibility of the authorities for the operation of ordinary law had been done to smooth away the difficulties. DELHI AGREEMENT STANDS GANDHI STATES THE POSITION Received Aug. 14, 11.10 p.m. CALCUTTA. Aug. 14. Gandhi said that although Congress had decided not to participate in the round-table conference, there was no intention of resuming the civil disobedience campaign at once, and the Delhi settlement need not necessarily be considered cancelled. Gandhi and his colleagues have cancelled their passages to London. The Calcutta Statesman, in a leader, says: “We believe that there will be general relief throughout India that Congress, which stands for secession from the Empire, is definitely to have no part in the conference. The way is now clear for *he co-operators. The sooner a responsible Federal India comes into being and deals with this menace to society, the better. There will be an immediate sharp division into two camps.”