SUB-COMMITTEES REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1930, Page 4

SUB-COMMITTEES REPORT

THE INDIAN CONFERENCE. I RAW MATERIAL .FOR FINAL SCHEME. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 16. The Prime Miniser, Mr Ramsay MacDonald, presided over he Indian . • Round-Table Conference, which sat in full committee, to consider and note the reports of' the sub-committees on Burma and provincial constitutions and the interim report of -the Federal Structure Sub-Committee. The Prime Minister said that the reports had not been adopted in the ordinary way ,but had merely been brought back to the full committee to • , enable any' member to make observations regarding the proposals which were to be considered merely as raw material for the purpose of drawing up a final scheme. The Federal Structure Sub-Commit-tee’s interim report was adopted practically without comment. Provincial Constitutions. When the Provincial Constitutions’ Sub-Committee’s report Was discussed the view was advanced on behalf pt -/ : certain minorities that their represeh* * ■ tations in the Cabinet should be statu* tory. The view ' was also' - Expressed' 'y that the Governor’s emergency powers were too wide and vagUe, but’ there \ ' was a general agreement that specialpowers for Governors were necessary, although no very specific opinions were' expressed as to what these should be;‘ The Burma Sub-Committee’s ! report next came under discussion. Mr Shiva Rao and some ' other British-Indian delegates expressed doubt as to whether the Burmese really did desire separation from India, and suggested that the question might be decided by local inquiry. The Burmese delegate, Mr U. Ba Pe, said that separation from India was the universal desire ip Burma, hub some wanted separation now, with Do. minion, status later. Further Sub-committees. . ; The committee decided to set up ad* ditional sub-committees. One will report on what modifications, if any; tiro to be made in the general provincial constitution to suit the-: special circumstances of the North-West Frontier Provinces. Another will consider on what main principles the franchise is to be based for men and women. A ,f third will consider questions o'f poll- • tical principle, relating to defence other than the strictly constituiohal aspects under the headings of powers of the exeutive and so on. A fourth sub-committee will consider the relations of tile Services to the new political structures including such question as British recruitments in all-India services, but excluding such subjects ns responsibility - for internal administration and police in the provinces. ? .y A sub-committee on the question of a Supreme Court will also be set up, and Lord Sankey’s sub-committee will have referred to it Points 4 and 5 on the Lord Chancellors list of heads of subjects namely: What are to be Fed-

eral and what Central subjects? and secondly, should there 1 be a few sub* 7 jects at first with power to’ increase-' them, or would it be better to have as many subjects as possible at once? Following the usual procedure, members of these subcommittees will be nominated by the chairman of the Advice on Business Committee, which meets to consider the matter to-mor-row. \