INDIA BILL

Wairarapa Daily Times, 22 February 1935, Page 5

INDIA BILL

ADVISORY COUNCIL SCHEME

REJECTED BY COMMONS.

Press Association Electric Telegraph Copyright RUCi BY, Wednesday.

An amendment to establish an adA’isorv council, to be styled the Council of Greater India, in substitution for the federal proposals of the Government of India Bill, Avas rejected by 308 votes to 50 during the committee stage of the debate in the House of Commons to-night. The Secretary for India, Sir Samuel Hoare, said that supporters of the amendment based themselves on the very tentative and temporary recommendations of the Statutory Commission. The Avliole essence of the recommendation in the report of the Joint Select Committee was that, over as Avide a field as Avas safe, more responsibility should be given in the provinces and at the centre. His own view, since the time the Princes made tlieir offer to come into the Federation, Avas that it Avould be the greatest possible mistake to return to the earlier proposal, which was made by the Statutory Commission only on the assumption that the Princes Avere unlikely to enter the Federation for a considerable time. He felt confident that the Princes Avould on no account co-operate Avitli a body of this kind. When they made their offer four years ago, they said quite definitely that they Avere prepared to participate in the Contral Government only if it Avas responsible Government. He avhs convinced that one of the main reasons prompting the Princes Avas the need they felt for a voice in the effective control of policy, particularly questions of customs. A great* many people had at first taken the view that the safer course Avas to make an advance in the provinces without making a simultaneous advance at the centre. On further consideration many of them had been driven ineA’itably to the aucav that that Avas really the more foolish and dangerous course, because to ignore the feeling in the States and in British India that, Avithout action at the centre, the Indian States Avould still remain inferior in tlie eyes of the "world, Avould be to run the risk of making the provincial experiment in the Avorst possible atmosphere. The first reason that had driven the Government along the road of including in the Bill the chapter dealing Avitli Federation Avas the almost unanimous feeling of political India. Secondly, it had been gravely impressed Avitli the danger of starting those great autonomous provinces in the absence of a Federal link Avith a body of popular feeling behind it. Without responsibility at the centre, there Avould be danger of India breaking up into fragments. Thirdly, the Princes would lie put in an extremely dangerous position if great provincial autonomous Governments Avere to grow up Avith popular support, and the centre remained in its present unreformed position. An amendment moA’cd by Sir 11. Page-Crofts (Conservative, Bournemouth), providing that the proclamation of an Indian Federation be contingent on a request by the majority of elected members of the Indian legislature Avas defeated by 230 votes to 77. Sir Samuel Hoare, opposing the amendment, said it virtually asked an Indian politicians’ assembly. avliicli whs bound to ho biased, to constitute itself into a constituent assembly. It would mean surrender by the Imperial Parliament of vital responsibility. Several Labourites approved the principle of the amendment, but expressed the opinion that its sponsors Avere speaking only to wreck the Bill.