INDIAN CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 7 January 1931, Page 2

INDIAN CONFERENCE

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT

PRINCIPLE OF RESPONSIBILITY ATTITUDE OF CONSERVATIVES (British Official Wireless) RUGBY. 6th January Newspapers state that the Government section of the delegation at the Indian Conference is prepared to accept the principle of responsibility as outlined by Lord Reading on behalf of the Liberal section. This is regarded as a highly important development. The Conservative attitude towards the Indian claims to responsibility with due safeguards at the Federal centre was stated in the Federal structure sub-commit-tee by Sir Samuel Hoare, who pointed out that none of the conditions which were associated with India responsible Government in Britain appeared to exist at present in India. He doubted the wisdom of attempting to apply the British House of Commons system to _ an All India Federation. He was against setting up a big popular assembly on the lines of the House of Commons, and direct election, because the huge size of India and the conditions of its population would make any imitation of the British political svstem impracticable. He questioned the wisdom of attempting to impose the British theory of Cabinet responsibility upon a Government that would differ in all respects from the British Government. He feared it would end in blurring the responsibility and weakening the Viceroy’s position. MEETINGS PREVENTED SITUATION IN INDIA (British Official Wireless) RUGBY 6th January. The Government of India’s appreciation of the situation during the last week states that elaborate arrangements by the Congress Organisation to declare at midnight meetings on 31st December in Bombay city a resolution of independence, were prevented without difficulty, but there were outbreaks of hooliganism and hostile mobs severely attacked a police picket, which was forced to open fire.