INDIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1919, Page 5

INDIA.

j THE INTERNAL DANCER, | NOT YET PAST. UNREST IN MOHAMMEDAN WORLD. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.- Copyright. Received June 3, 11.20 p.m. London, May 22. Mr. Montagu, Secretary of State for India, In the House of Commons said it was now clear that the new 4mir of Afghanistan, in a moment of suicidal folly, had authorised an unprovoked attack. His motives were doubtful. We desired nothing except friendly relations with the neighboring country, but we intended to exact stern and just punisV ment for the raids and invasion.

The internal danger in India was not yet past Fighting had occurred in the presidency of Bombay, involving onetenth of the area and one-third of the population. In the Punjab there had been an outbreak at Delhi. Trouble had occurred at Calcutta also, but to a minor extent. There had been no trouble in Madras or the centre of the united provinces. The trouble was confined to the towns. The events showed the unmistakable loyalty of India as a whole. Altogether 9 European and 400 Indian lives had been lost. The perplexity in the Mohammedan world arising out of ! Tnrkev's defeat was one of the causes of Indian unrest. Another arose from the fear that the promises of 1917 would not be carried out. The Rowlatt Act was very unpopular, but would not be used except to cope with the remarkable revolutionary movements. Mr. Montagu said he was convinced that thev must proceed without with the Bill providing for an alteration of Indian jrovernment. Parliament had acrreed to the introduction of a Bill at the beginning of Jnne. The keystone of Indian reform would be the transference of power from the bureaucracy to the •people. This may be gradual in its application, but it must be real.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.