INDIAN AFFAIRS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16259, 9 July 1918, Page 8

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright^ and £».Z, Cabia AaoocwWonj LOjNDON, Juiy 6. The report of tue committee oa Indian UuiiouiutiOiiui Kcuoiui is a uocuiileut, ;UIU cuiiUilub piOyO&ilui ouaeU. on Ui.auy mux u year, ca»iyiug out tue >\ar cauuiots to uxti-u suosuuiual sLepa ui tue oi WiG giauLitii development Oi uisutULiOnS wiui a vietv to tue piogicssive realisation ot lesponsioie guvui.um.jiit in ilium as an port oi uie xmipire. it is pouiicd out that the report published \k r iii uiiord a uasis lor u.scusaiou and ci'iUwisii:, out tue Government iias not yet ioimu»au:d any conclusions on uie proposals. 'Ine report candidly surveys the difficulties ox tne piou.em, uiiu pays a tribute to tne iuuian people's iieai ty and genuine synipatny wim tne Amos cause, it Biatito uiat our own anu tne American deviations ot war aims give ntnv loroe anu vitality to the i'logieooiVo party's demand lor sell-gov eminent aii& devolution, winch suouid taiie tne form, of giving responsibility to curtain subjects, and oiiuiiLg Ltie most oppoi tunity to local and the Uivil service. It is Uiereiure proposed; tnat the Executive Governments in all the major piovinces, exclusive of iSurnia, snail consist of two parts —one comprising "tne Governor and Executive Council ot two members, one of wlioin must be an Inuian, and tne other comprising the Governor with one or more Ministers, chosen from the elected mem iters of the Legislative Council of each province, which will have a substantial majority of elected members chosen on a broau irancnise. . It is possible that the contributions 'for tho maintenance of all Indian services will be first charged on tne provincial revenues. The provincial Governments will administer the remaining revenues, and will aiso have limited powers of taxation and borrowing. What has hitherto been known as the vice-regal legislature will be bifurcated, and tne existing council, which will then become the Legislative Assembly, will consist of about iOO members, twothirds beiug elected, and the remainder nominated by tho Viceroy. One-third of these nominees must be non-olhcials. Tho seoond Chamber will be a Council of fctate, tfith the experience and dignity of iiltier Statesmen. _ It will participate in ordinary legislative business, and bo the final authority on matters which the Government may repaid as essential. It will consist of oU members, of whom 21 will be elected. The other proposals include the establishment of . a permanent Council of Princcs to consider questions attecting the native states and the appointment of a Commission a dccado hence to survey the situation and to judge what further devolution is possible. Other similar commissions will subsequently be appointed at intervals of 12 years.

TEXT OF THE REPORT. (Received July Bth. 5.5 p.m.) " LONDON, July 7. The Indian Commission's report says: <'The time has now come when India's sheltered existenco cannot be prolonged without damaging her national life. Her nationhood within the Empire will bo something better than India haa yet attained.. The great task is to call forth her capacity and self-reliance as a nation instead of her caste feeling."

The Committee has worked out a scheme with the object, as far as possible, of giving complete, popular control to local bodies with the large3t> possible independence, and with a view to securing a progiessive- realisation of responsible government for the provinces, some measure of which, the committee considers, should be granted to the provinces forthwith, with a view to granting complete responsibility at the earliest possible moment. The Central Government must remain responsible to the liritish Parliament, the committee adds, but with that exceotion its authority must remain indisputable. ,

Pending experience in the proposed changes in the provincial constitutions, the committee eiupnaticaily rejects the argument that local self-government must wait until other relorms create a suitable atmosphere. The committee asserts tnat Inuian hopes and aspirutions have been arouseti to such a pitch that they cannot be opposed by tho mere granting of control over urban .rural boarus; moreover, the development oi the country has reacned a state at which a wider application of se.fgovermnent would be justified, and which the Government would be justified in granting. Cjovernn.ent witnoui the people's co-operation is increasingly difficult. Tho franchise and the composition of the provincial constitutions are not detailed, but the retention of communal electorates is recommended for Mohammedans where they are in a minority, and similariy in regard to the Sikhs.

PRESS COMMENT,

LOiSDON, July 6

Tlie length of tue inuian Govern meat's report and the complexity o tne problems zcaKe newspapers char; regarding detailed criticism. 'l'iie "Daily Chronicle" welcomes it and says that at the i*oot*lies chi principle that there is no good in en larging the machinery of eiected repre sentatives unless an given positions of delimte responsi bility. Hitherto Indian delegates hav< been mere critics. 'ihe new scheme the "Chronicle" says, lays stress 01 decentralisation, and begins at cn< botcom witli local government. The "Daily Telegraph" also A'el conies the extension of local "overn ment, and also the Council of Princes but says that it must be remem beret that India is not one community ani more than Europe is. The Hindu Con gress and the Moslem League do noi represent the people, only the prin ciple of holding the conglomerate masi in* allegiance to the British. The newei scheme jias the merit of recognisim that the ultimate decisive authority ii the British Government. The "Morning Post" says: dislike and distrust both tho report anr its chief author. The scheme propose: to undermine the foundations of Biitish rule in India, which are the BritiSi magistrate and collector." Th 6 "Daily News" savs that the report is one of tho great State documents of the world. The prime necessity is to create a real Indian electorate. The report has faced thf great issue fairly.