BRITAIN’S REGRET

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20956, 8 November 1939, Page 8

BRITAIN’S REGRET

THE UNREST IN INDIA FAILURE OF CONSULTATIONS DOMINION STATUS DESIRED (Official Wireless) (Received Nov. 8, 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Nov. 7 In a statement in the House of Lords, in which he expressed the Government’s regret at the failure of the consultations between representatives of the Congress of All India and the Moslem League, the Marquess of Zetland made it clear that Britain found it impossible to accept the Congress Party’s’ propositions. He recalled that the long-standing British connection with India had left Britain with obligations which made it impossible for the Government to disinterest itself wholly in shaping her future form of Government. Moreover, previous discussions had established beyond doubt that such an abandonment by Britain of its position in India would be far from acceptable to large sections of the population. Britain, the Marquess of Zetland emphasised, had not weakened in her determination to assist India to reach without avoidable delay the position in the British Commonwealth of Nations to which it was pledged—namely, dominion status, as laid down by the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and given legal form in the Statute of Westminster, 1931. Britain regretted the withdrawal of the Ministries in certain provinces, and hoped that the measures taken to carry on the Government during their absence would be only temporary. MINISTRY RESIGNS NORTH-WEST PROVINCE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Nov. 8, 3.15 p.m.) PESHAWAR, Nov. 7 The Congress Ministry of the North-West Frontier province has resigned.