INDIAN COMMISSION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 14 November 1927, Page 9

INDIAN COMMISSION

A DIFFICULT TASK AHEAD.

BRITISH PARLIAMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY.

(British Official Wireless.) Rugby, November 11. Sir John Simon, in a letter to the chairman of the Liberal party in the constituency he represents in Parliament, refers to the grave and di®* cult task before the Indian Statutory Commission, of which lie is chairman. He says: ‘ ’The British Parliament has a tremendous responsibility to the people of India. It is a responsibility which cannot be denied Or evaded, for it is rooted in the History and in the facts of the world to-day. If, therefore, the future of India is to be one of peacefiil progress, as all men of goodwill, both in India and in Britain, intensely desire, this can come about only by the action of the British Parliament, combined with the co-operation of India itself. Both these are provided for by the scheme of investigation and consultation, of which the work of the Commission is the first stage. “The Commission does not go to ’in with any idea of imposing Western ideas or constitutional form ..u uioijui. Me go to listen, to learn, and faithfully to report our conclusions as to the actual condi-. tions and varying proposals from within. When the Commission has reported, the scheme provides for that full and final consultation between representatives of the Legislatures of India and Britain, which Is an essential conditiop to be fulfilled before reaching a decision, upon which so much depends. The task of the Commission calls for the highest qualities of sympathy and imagination. as well as for endless patience. strict impartiality honesty and courage.

"I enter upon mv part of this duty intensely desiring to be of what service I can to India and to Britain, and while I am deeply conscious of my own shortcoming, I am going to do mv best.’’