TEMPER OF INDIA

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 204, 17 November 1927, Page 11

TEMPER OF INDIA

IMPROVED RELATIONS LORDS CONSIDER PROBLEM

By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. LONDON, Tuesday.

In the House of Lords, the Secretary of State for India, the Earl of Birkenhead, in moving the second reading of the Bill for the appointment of the new Statutory Commission on India, requested the members to agree to a postponement of a full discussion of the measure until he had considered the personnel of the commission. Fortunately within the past two or three years there had been a change in the tone and temper of India in the direction of an improved relationship, said Lord Birkenhead. He thought all the British parties would therefore agree that the time had come to approach the greatest constitutional problem which had faced British statesmen for many generations. He would ask the House to £ass the Bill, and promised a general debate later on. „ UNFAVOURABLE RECEPTION

The ex-Viceroy of India, the Marquess of Reading, said he approved the decision to ante-date the appointment of the commission, but everything had conspired to give it an unfavourable reception in India.

The Government had shown a desire to meet the views of Indian politicians. The former Labour Secretary of State for India, Lord Olivier, said he would support the Bill on behalf of the Labour Party, but would reserve his comments. The Bill passed its second reading. —A. and N.Z.-Sun.