INDIA’S FUTURE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 280, 26 November 1931, Page 7

INDIA’S FUTURE

MOSLEM ATTITUDE WILL OPPOSE SEPARATION CONFERENCE NEARING END [ British Official Wir less. ] Received Nov. 25, 5.5 p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 24. It is generally expected that the present session of the Indian round-table conference will bo brought to a close about the middle of next week. The Federal Structure Committee te lay resumed the discussion on commercial safeguards. The only remaining reserved subject for discussion is that of financial administration. The committee will approve a brief report on these matters before they are passed on to the plenary session, at which the Prime Minister will make a statement on the policy of the Government. The terms of this statement will be governed, to a large extent, by the results of private conversations which were begun yesterday when the Prime Minister, accompanied by Lord Sankey and Sir Samuel Hoare, met leaders of the important sections of the Indian delega tions. The interviews were continued to-day, when Air. Gandhi and others were received by the Prime Minister. Very strong pressure has been brought to bear upon the Prime Minister by p section of the Conservative members of Parliament led by Mr. Winston Churchill, to have the debate in the Commons before the speech at the conference summing up the results and restating the Government’s policy in India is delivered. The London Times says there presumably will be no “ difficulty about staging such a debate before du House rises, but there is no essential connection between the proceedings of Parliament at this stage and Air. Alar Donald’s closing speech as chairman of the conference. The Alanchester Guardian says: “The Prime Minister a united Cab met behind him in standing by the de claration made at the close of the last conference. Meanwhile, although it is recognised that a settlement among the delegates themselves of tho Communal problem would have been incomparably better, the Prime Alinister’s offer of help from the British Government still stands and his efforts to compose the differences are being continued.” Moslems Aim. The Moslem delegates to the conference were the guests of the National League at a reception, at which tho Aga Khan said they wanted to live in self-respecting amity and on terms of equality and friendship with the other peoples and races. Sir Muhamad Shafi said that the Moslems believed with all sincerity that the future of India lay within the British Commonwealth of Nations, and they would do all in their power to counteract the movement designed to bring about separation. During to-day’s debate on finance, Sir Tej Sapru suggested that they might make provision in the statute for the establishment of a financial council for the period of transition to advise the Finance Alinister with regard to currency and exchange. The power of disallowance vested in the Governor-Gen-eral would afford the amplest possible guarantee for safe, sound administration of currency and exchange during the period of transition. In addition, there was the power of dissolution. With regard to the raising of future loans, he would propose that there be t public loans board to advise.

Lord Reading said that the position at present in the financial world was confused and difficult, and Indian finances could never be free from some dependence on international finance. Currency and exchange should be dealt with by a reserve Dank along uon-pol-itical lines, which would have the management of the currency and exenange only. Lord Reading explained that the views he expressed were personal, and the reservations upon which he insisted were meant solely to give confidence to invstors in India, whoso investments amounted to about £350,000,000, and to retain unimpaired India’s financial credit and stability. STATE OF ANARCHY TERRORISM MUST END Received Nov. 25, 10.5 p.m. LONDON, Nev. 24 In the House of Lords, tho Ear] of Lothian, replying to the debate on India raised by Lord Brentford, announced that drastic action would bo taken to end the terrorism which was & menace to individual liberty and social peace. Real self-government could not develop where anarchy and terrorism were allowed to thrust constitutional government aside. It was no exaggeration to say that to-day, in some districts of Bengal, every’ officer of the Government went about Lis duties in peril of his life. Lord Elibank suggested the deportation of Air. Gandhi and his fellow conspirators to Andamans if, when they returned to India, they ccntinued to foment trouble.