CLUB LIFE IN INDIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 77, 26 December 1918, Page 5

CLUB LIFE IN INDIA

THE EXCLUSION OP NATIVES. Lord Islington (some time Governor of New Zealand) presided' at a well-attended meeting held in connection with the Union of the East and West recently. He said he thought after the magnificent victories achieved during the past few days, in which Indian troops ployed a conspicuous part, they were justified in saying with more conviction nnd'eertainty than beforo that a decisive defeat of the enemy was really in view That happy day might bo soon or at some distant date, but it was clear that the Allies were mutually determined that the war could' not cease until the extinction of that Prussian rule which had attempted to inspiro and stimulate the revolutionary elements in this and. other countries. Sir Satyendro Prasanna Sinha, member of the Imperial War Council, in the course of an address on "Social Life in Bengal," said organised action to effect better relations betw.een- the English in India and the natives, official and nonofficials, ought to occupy more attontion in the future than it had done in the nast ' General observations had frequently been made concerning the necessity for removing any obstacles to the English making the educated Indian one of them-' selves, but hitherto no satisfactory Tesnlt had been produced, and it was iniro?sible to estimato the amount of bitterness created by tho ru]e, or the convention, which made it appear that no Indian was SMff ennit?h to be elected a member of the English clubs in Calcutta. Bombay. and Madras. When Indians crnie to Loudon some of them became members of the most exclusive clubs, to which it was not possible for pomp of theii' P 11.7IMi friends in In-liji to belong to, but «'hon these same Indians went back to India they were not allowed oven fo enter the doors of this or that. Enirlish Huh —except, perhnns, as waiters. One could well imagine the effect of that on the minds of th° natives. The club habit was not an Indian hnbit. and there was never any fear of these English clubs beinff .flooded -with the natives if tVv were admitted, therefore lie urged- tlnf this rule of excluding the natives should b? swept as'de, and an announcement giyen <is -wide pulilicitv as no«nble tintno ohinet.inn would ' in thn future be raised t> the membership of Indians provided with the neces«.irv Bnnrisor.';