AFFAIRS IN INDIA

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1928, Page 4

AFFAIRS IN INDIA

THE POLITICAL BOYCOTT. EX-CIVIL SERVANT’S VIEWS. AUCKLAND. Feb. 21. An authority on affairs in India, who arrived by the Ulimaroa, is Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Roberts, formerly surgeon to the Viceroy, but now enjoying bk retirement, Bo

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 an enquiry as to what he thought of the action of the Indian Legislative Assembly in deciding to boycott the Simon Commission, Sir James replied:— “You have to interpret political news from Indian with the knowledge that the so-called discontent among the educated and political classes is due to the fact that we are trying tin experiment of introducing democrat-; together with a form of responsibh government, the foundations of wind were laid by the Chelmsford-Montagi recom menda t i ons. n The visitor spoke of the varied interests which have been brought lute conflict, of the more than 50 separate races in India, of the peoples of many castes who do not inter-marry, and o’ other causes of unrest in the political' arena. “The most interesting thing in India.’ 1 said Mir James, “is the system of administration.’’ Tracing the history of the Indian Empire lie showed that the system has been created by the genius of the Indian people themselves. “It is,” lie said, “the most efficient administration in the world, and this is so because the authorities have adhered to the native methodinherited from the past. “In recent years,’’ added the visi tor, “there has been a cry throughout the world for democratic government and this was interpreted by the politicians in Britain as meaning that Indian was demanding democratic government. Most Englishmen of experience in India believe that that cry was misinterpreted, that what tin 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 tli,at the Indian Legislative Assembly is not the supreme power in the land. The administration of the Viceroy has always been, and still is, the supreme factor. “The Indian people,” he said, “are extremely sensitive and can he swayed by political or religions sentiments to an extent which is scarcely realised by the more calculating and staid Europeans. The present vote of the Assembly in boycotting the Commission is not to be 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 comprising about 60,()0f),0LD of its people. These native States do not look to the change of government with any feeling of assurance, because they do not wish to he subordinate to a government elected by the people of British India. The situation is delicate and difficult and their loyalty to the Throne hinds-them to the Empire in the same way as the Dominions are hound as separate entities of the Imperial system.” Sir James has a strong belief in tile ability of India and of the Administration to evolve an efficient and satisfactory system of government.