The Bay of Plenty Beacon. Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1942 ALL EYES ON INDIA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 88, 7 August 1942, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon. Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1942 ALL EYES ON INDIA

MAHATMA Ghandi when he received his first slight from the white soldiers who fought for Queen Victoria forty years ago in the Boer Wars,, little dreampt that the day would come when his shrivelled, knarled figure would be the focal point for three hundred million of his countrymen or that his policy of succession from British domination would give the Mother Country the greatest cause for worry since the; two nations were associated together. Yet undoubtedly the incident which so dampened his natural patriotism as a young man, when he headed an all-Indian ambulance unit on the South African veldt, sowed the seeds of his future actions and laid the foundation, for his great crusade for equality for the oppressed. The colour bar in those intolerant days was far more pronounced than we moderns can imagine, but it only requires a short mental flight into the past to form some conception of the average British attitude towards foreigners generally let alone those of a darker skin. Ghandi, the clever young Indian lawyer felt insulted t>y the middle and lower class Englishman, in a manner that made his hot blood boil. He had not then attained that dignity of understanding and toleration born of experience. Nor had his periods of selfimposed fasting disciplined his wasted little body or given his mind the placidity born of reflection. To-day however he is cited as the; natural leader to represent in policy and action the massive heart of the peoples who constitute our Indian Empire. Champion of the lowest of the castes—the untouchables,' he yet has risen to a state of command which according to Congress is powerful enough to practically dictate the course India's destiny. No one would be foolish enough to deny his greatness. Imprisoned, banished, and officially discredited he has yet been considered, fit to. sit in conference with the greatest of England's statesmen. Now we see him, a confirmed pacifist, giving free expression to his intention of negotiating- peace on his country's behalf with the most militant nation in Asia to-day an;l possibly the most ruthless in the world. Of his followers Pundit Nehru takes the more practical view of rallying India to a sense of invasion possibilities, but he too, remains adamant regarding the working committee's intentions of ousting British administration. Promised total automony and independance after the war, the Congress leaders have apparently decided that the offer of Sir Stafford Cripps on behalf of the Imperial Government wias not sufficient. The change-over must be made now, irrespective of the grave threat that now looms across the Bay of Bengal, The fact that the Indian restlessness coincides with the gravity of England's own plight can only have found root in the Empire's waning prestige in Asia since the Malay States, Singapore, Burma and the Dutch Indies have been overwhelmed by belligerent Japan. Looking broadly at the picture the explanation is fairly obvious if we can but remain fairminded.

HOME GUARD PARADES AN advertisement in to-day's issue sets out the parade dates for the individual companies of the Rangitaiki Battalion of the Home Guard, members of which are asked to advertising the specified parades,, which has now been future be compulsory. Leave will only be granted under special circumstances and a genuine effort will be made to * see that all members receive the requisite 28 hours per month intensified training. Now that the Guard isi under direct military control members who deliberately absent themselves from parades can be treated as ordinary defaulters. The final step, to enable legal action to be taken lies in advertising the specified parades, which has now been done. "We are loath to take any drastic action," said one Home Guard spokesman yesterday, "but the time has passed when we were requesting men to parade. We have the powers of compulsion and w r ill not hesitate to use them even if we have to commit offenders to Strathmpre!"

STSLL £963 TO FIND THE Patriotic allocation list as published to-day shows that Whakatane Borough and Ohope still have £963 to find before completing - their quota. This sum represents approximately 7/6 per head of the whole of the population of the two areas. Already many have fulfilled their obligations by subscribing- the estimate of £1 per head,, but there are many others who have not approached anything near this figure. It is understood that for certain persons the sum of £1 for every individual member of his dependents represents something of an obstacle. They will not be expected to reach that figure. The section that should be contacted and shamed into action is composed of those persons who have not as yet made any contribution whatsoever. There are of course those who prefer to. subscribe monthly or quarterly and, as they represent a fair percentage it can be safely assumed that a substantial part of the town's quota will be met automatically by this means.

Missing Man

Despite a further intensive search of the Nukuhou Stream yesterday, no trace has yet ben found, of Mr M. C. Ryan, father of Mr C. P. Ryan, of Kutarcrc, who lias been missing since Sunday, July 2<j. Since Mr Ryan, who is an elderly man, has been reported missing a wide search has been made by neighbours and members of the Home Guard, under the supervision of the policc.