INDIAN UNREST.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1922, Page 3

INDIAN UNREST.

i i USTRAI.IAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. i I INDIAN SENSATION. IJJXDON, March 9. Lord Sydenham (ex-Indian Governor) interviewed, says: “The Government of India’s step re Turkey is a dangerous precedent, which is thoroughly unconstitutional, though it is natural that, being in a position of the gravest difficulty, which Mr Montagu’s guidance helped to create, the Government should grasp at any straw which it has been induced to think might help to save the situation. T do not believe tho fulfilment of Lord Reading’s demand, which is impossible, would have the smallest effect in ameliorating the dangerous position in India, where the Mohammedan excitement has passed beyond control. Genera! Si'V O’Moore- Creagli (exIndian Governor) considers Lord Reading’s proposals are an absolutely cowardly surrender to Dr Gandhi, and are opposed to the wishes of the orthodox Mohammedans of India.

MONTAGU ON THE SUBJECT. LONDON, March 9

Mr Montagu, in a letter to Mr Lloyd George says: “‘After our conversation this morning, I feci it my duty to resign. In the sanctioning of the publication of the views of the Government of India, T did not see much if anything, which they had not said again and again. Since the peace conference, I have been fully seized with tho grave difficulties which .resulted from the Treaty of Sevres in India, and I felt that T was doing lily duty to do everything in my power to support the Government of India. Wh«n, therforo, I wa. s assured that the Government of India regarded the matter as one of a great urgency, I felt justigod in tlie action I took. I believe much would be gained and little lost, hy the publicity of these matters. I regret leaving the Government, hut despite the present difficulties, I fee] the present policy of the Government in India will win through to sucecss.

I PRiEMrKR’S REPLY. i Mr Lloyd George, replying to Mr Montagu said: “I do not doubt you were actuated solely by a sense of publie duty. Nevertheless, without pressing necessity, and without consulting either the Cabinet, the Foreign Secretary, myself or anyone of my colleagues yo u published a telegram raising a question whose importance extends far beyond the frontiers of India, or the responsibilities of your office. Such actions were totally incompatible with the collective responsibility of the Cabinet to the Sovereign and to Parliament. On reflection I cannot doubt, that you. will share my view that, after what occurred, we cannot usefully cooperate in the same Cabinet I must add that the right of the Government of India to state its views on the Eastern question is not in dispute. The Government has afforded Mohammedan opinion in India every possible oppor-

jtunity of expressing their views. I the Governments of the Empire wer all to chum the liberty of publishing declarations on matters vitally affect ing the i-elations of the whole Empare with foreign powers, the unity ol our foreign policy would be broken, and the very existence of the Empire jeopardised. The moment chosen for your action } moreover is indefensible from the standpoint which must govern our action, that of broad Imperial interests. A conference on the Near E'ast is about to take place and the questions to be discussed there are of the utmost delicacy. The weight of responsibility which the Foreign Secretary will have to carry, will in any case, be most serious and your action has added considerably to the difficulties of a. task, which is already diffi t cult enough.^ A postscript adds: “Publication of a to-legram sent from Mi ; Montagu to the Viceroy would aggravate the bad effects of the manifesto and the Government could not consent to sufch a course. |

NO SYMPATHY LONDON, March 10). Members of the House of Commons ore eagerly discussing the situation which lias arisen as the result of the resignation of Mr Montagu. Not much sympathy is being shown for the fallen Minister, the majority being openly delighted at his departure. Various | names are mentioned as his successor, ■ including Lords Devonshire, Derby. Crawford and Mir Churchill.

MONTAGU’S SUCCESSOR. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. Hon Dollar Law is among the probable successors to Mr Montagu.