INDIAN UNREST

Wairarapa Daily Times, 16 January 1932, Page 5

INDIAN UNREST

“NOT CRICKET” ACTION OF HINDUS. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received SaTurday, 9.45 a.m.) CALCUTTA, Friday. Five prominent Hindu cricketers . at Bombay refused to participate in trials to be held at Patiala and Lahore, to aid in the selection of an Indian cricket team for England, owing, it is understood, to the jmlitieal situation. STRONG RULE. BRITAIN NO CHOICE.

RUGBY, Thursday

Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, and many other members of Cabinet were among a large number of wellwishcrs at Victoria to-day at the departure of the members of the three committees who are proceeding to India to continue the work in connection with the proposed new Indian Constitution. In the course of a Press interview to-day. Sir Samuel Hoarc, Secretary for India, said that the committees were being sent to begin a new chapter of co-operation at a time when severe administrative measures were being 'enforced in India. But wituout law and order there could be no constitutional advance. Faced with the ' situation that had arisen, the Government had taken the only possible action, and taken it drastically. By so doing he believed that the timo those emergency operations would remain in existence would be shorter than if they had acted :n gradual stages. So far the result had been successful. In the North-west Frontier Province, for instance, law and order was being maintained, on the whole, remarxa >l> well, and many who had joined the “Red Shirt” movement ha 1 now given up their shirts and had admitted that the movement was a mistake. In the United Provinces, where attempts had been made to start a revolution with a no-rent programme, the rents were coming in better than for many months. In Bengal there was a revival of confidence in trade and industry. Nevertheless, they did not wish to maintain the emergency regulations a day longer than necessary. For tne moment the battle had been turned upon the Government, and it had been bound to accept it, but he regarded such methods as being out of date. The Government wanted internal as well as international peace, and would be delighted when the time came for goodwill and co-operation, and when there were no empty chairs at any future Round Table Conference.

The prompt eontiuation of the work of the Indian Round Table Conference, marked by the departure of the British delegates, is warmly welcomed in the Press.

“The Times” says the composition of tlie committee seems to confirm the impression that the most constructive elements in Indian politics are coming into their own.

“No one need hesitate in saying that the consistent, courageous, and generous British policy which has now been pursued over a term of years, is gradually becoming recognised in India, and is showing some signs at last of bearing fruit,” adds the newspaper.