INDIAN PROFESSOR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 25 July 1929, Page 7

INDIAN PROFESSOR

RESEARCH IN AUCKLAND VALUE OF BRITISH RULE NO REAL DESIRE FOR CHANGE "There is an overwhelming body of opinion in India wholly favourable to British rule," Mad Professor P. Mitra, of Calcutta University, in discussing racial problems within the l Empire, and the world's need of co-ordinating culture and welding national outlook's' into an evenlybalanced whole. Professor Mitra is an expert in ancient, and modern culture, and he is now engaged in an intensive study of ethnological questions relating to (lie Pacific races, on behalf of tho Bishop Museum of Honolulu. He intends to spend about a month in New Zealand, and at present he is carrying out research work at the' War Memorial Museum at Auckland (sav s the "Her aid"). Stating that his views on present-day constitutional problems in India were naturally affected by his individual conelusions concerning the past history of his country and its bearing upon the modern phase. Professor Mitra said that it was generally agreed that it would be fatal for England to withdraw her guardianship. There was: only a very small section of the population in favour of India, breaking her relations with the British Commonwealth of Nations, and the noise it made was not a true index of its size. India,was surrounded by a series' of different economic' levels, and it was realised that, only Britain could maintain a satisfactory equilibrium. There was more in Britain's occupation of India than mere material government, and there was a growing body of opinion that she was performing a great function in stabilising the country's economic life and at tho same time giving India a chance to work out her own destiny in the cultural sphere.' Revolutionary factions' were to be found in every country, but the separatist party in India carried no influence and would never gain the upper hand. NEW ERA ENTERED UPON Thinking men among the native population would not fall in with the views of the revolutionists, realising that India had made great strides since Britain gave it the advantage of her protection. India had defipitely entered upon a new era and great advances had been made in education and culture generally. "This is tho great svnthetic century," Professor Mitra said, in referring to nig own work and that of others in attacking thei question pf ethnology and the racial and cultural links which bound the world. Scientists wore endeavouring to reveal the causal connections between phenomena, philosophers wero aiming at laying bare tho relations between the ultimate things, and ethnologists were working to unfold tho past life, of man by a study of present similitudes. The work would not bo completed in a day, and no doubt would be handed on to others to complete, but it was within the) bounds of possibility that the- present century would witness a great coordinating movement, not only between nations, but also between tho material world and mental life.

Just as Macedon was called upon to keep burning tho flame of Hellenic civilisatjon it was being recognised more and more that the younger nations bordering the Pacific were destined to play an even greater part in the work of securing international understanding and breaking down racial and cultural barriers. Thinking men were still searching for the roots of modern civilisations. The nations of the Pacific were recognised as of great importance in the synthetic process. If once they could lay their hands upon evidence of the inner meaning of different mental outlooks and the basis upon which these had been built great results would have as their fruit a new conception of man's place in the international sphere. ART OF THE MAORIS Studies carried out in various parts of the Pacific had assured him of tho existence of cultural bonds over a, wide area, Professor Mitra said. His investigations wore of a technical nature, but they revealed affinities between Pacific culture and that of India. Tho study of anthropology was still in comparative infancy, although tho Indian philosophers . .had made greater use of it than had those in the West, for tho reason that they attached moro importance to tho individual in relation to tho whole. He would publish his conclusions in book form at the end oE his research next year. Professor Mitra said that ho had been agreeably surprised to find so much; .material for research; in Auckland. The War Memorial Museum was a treasurehouse for the student, and ho had been given every facility by the authorities for study. The history of tho Maoris was a subject of vital interest. Their art was particularly important in assessing their traditions and spiritual outlook. It was evident that thel Maori was a horn artist and his conceptions of form wero remarkable. From specimens of native carvings he had seen, one thing stood out from general conclusions. The Maori was a master craftsman in continuity of design. It was noticeable 1 among .much modern art that the work gave tho appearance of compact and unrelated conceptions. However, the Maori was an adept in maintaining a continuity of form, thus imparting consistent harmony among the expressions of his ideas.