INDIA’S PROBLEMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 104, 23 July 1927, Page 28

INDIA’S PROBLEMS

RIGHT OF GOVERNMENT MISSIONARY’S VIEWS That the attitude of some of the Dominions, and colonies had complicated the situation so far as the British Government’s handling of the Indian problem is concerned was the suggestion made yesterday by the Rev. J. L. Gray, who has been a Presbyterian missionary in the Punjab for the past five years. India’s demand for self-government had been summarised as follows: Equality of right for members of the same Empire: self-government like that of the Dominions; a national militia: and equality of treatment in the colonies. EXCLUDING NEW ZEALANDERS Mr. Gray said that the British Government was making a gradual move in some of these directions. The Indian demands were fair and just. At the Imperial Conference some years ago it was decided that New Zealand should have the right to exclude Hindus on condition that they had the right to exclude New Zealanders from India. If such a fair spirit was general, much of the present suspicion would be removed. “To those knowing India,” said Mr. Gray, “one fact causes concern, and raises doubts as to the mass of the people for self-government. This is the tension between the Hindus and the Moslems. There are 70,000,000 Moslems and 280,000.000 Hindus, and these people are constantly fighting. It seems as if no common basis of agreement can be found.”