“BEST IN THE WORLD”

Evening Star, Issue 19799, 24 February 1928, Page 5

“BEST IN THE WORLD”

ADMINISTERING INDIA VIEWS OF NOTED SURGEON An authority on affairs in India, who arrived by the Ulimaroa at Auckland, is Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Roberts, formerly surgeon to the Viceroy, but now enjoying bis retirement (says the ‘Star’)- He is here on a tour of New Zealand for pleasure, and will in the first place spend some little time in Auckland and Rotorua. In reply to the inquiry as to what he thought of the action of the Indian Legislative Assembly in deciding to boycott tlie Simon Commission, Sir James replied: “ Y T ou have to interpret political news from India with the knowledge that the so-called discontent among the educated and political classes is duo to the fact that we are trying the experiment of introducing democracy together with a form ol responsible government, the foundations of which were laid by the ChclmsfordMontague recommendations.” The visitor spoke of the varied interests which have been brought into conflict, of tlie more than fifty separate rau-s in india, of the peoples of many castes who do not inter-niarry, and of other causes of unrest in the political arena

“ The most interesting thing in India,” said Sir Janies, “is the system of administration.” Tracing the history of the Indian Empire, he showed that the system has been created by the genius of the Indian people themselves. “It is,” he said, “the most efficient administration in the world, and this is so because the authorities have adhered to the native Methods inherited from the past. “ In recent years,” added the visitor, “ there has been a cry throughout the world for democratic government, and this was interpreted by the politicians in Britain as meaning that India was demanding democratic government. Most Englishmen of experience in India believe that that cry was misinterpreted—that what the Indians asked for was not so much democracy as a considerable part in the power and authority of government; and that, instead of being entirely British, it was to he more Indian than British, employing the educated Indians in the higher ranks.”

Sir James remarked that tho Indian Legislative Assembly is not the supreme power in tho land. The administration of the Viceroy has always been, and still is, the supreme factor. “ Tho Indian people,” he saitl, “are extremely sensitive, and can be swayed by political or religious sentiments to an extent which is scarcely realised by tho more calculating and staid Europeans. The present vote of the Assembly in boycotting tho commission is not to bo wondered at. There has been considerable complaint that no Indians were included in the personnel of the commission.

“What people do not realise is that India consists of native States occupying about one-third of its territory and about 150,000,000 of its people. These native States do not look to the change of government with any feelings of assurance, because they do not wisli to be subordinate in a Government elected by the people of the British India. The situation is delicate and difficult, and their loyalty to the Throne binds them to the Empire in the same way as the dominions are bound as separate entities of the Imperial system.” Sir James lias a strong hclcif in the ability of India and of the administration in evolve an efficient and satisfactory system of government.