STATUS OR INDIA

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1929, Page 6

STATUS OR INDIA

ENQUIRIES IN COMMONS

A GOVERNMENT STATEMENT

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, Nov. 1

In the House of Commons to-day, Mr Lloyd George (Liberal Leader) asked the Secretary for India whether the Statutory Commission of the Indian Government was consulted with reference to the passage in the important statement,made by the Viceroy of India yesterday which relates to the constitutional status for India in the Empire; whether the Commission concurred, and whether that passage is intended to indicate any charge, either in substance, or in point of time, in the policy Announced by previous Governments. . .

Air Wedgwood Benn replied that the answer to the first part of the quest'oll wak in the negative. It was due to the Statutory Commission that lie should make it perfectly clear that they were not consulted. The second part of the question did not arise. As to the third passage referred to, it was intended to set out the goal q! : the British policy as stated in the declaration on August 1917. In view of the doubts which had been expressed. both. Great Britain and In-, di'a regarding the interpretation -placed on the. intentions of the British Government in enacting the statute.of .1919, the Viceroy had been authorised on behalf of His Majesty’s Government to state clearly that in their judgment it was implicit in the declaration of 1.917 that the natural issue of India’s constitutional progress as there contemplated. : was, the, attainment of Dominion status. The question of policy .involving chancres ..either, in substance or in time, could not lie considered until the Commission and Indian Central Committee had submitted their report, and His Majesty’s Government been able in consultation with the Government of India to consider these matters in the light of all the material then available, and after a meeting of the conference which it was proposed to summon.