THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 9, 1987
Page
AN OFFER AND A WARNING
LORD ZETLAND ON INDIA'S
CONSTITUTION
London, To-day.
A statement on India was made in the House of Lords by the Secretary for India. Lord Zetland, after a review of recent events following the pro- vincial elections and an explanation of the consti- tutional position under the Government of India Act, made an appeal to the public men of India to to avail themselves of the great opportunities open them to serve the cause of orderly constitutional progress in their country.
Mr. Eden Going To Strange
-Brussels
Brussels, To-day.
The British Foreign Secre- tary, Mr. Authony Eden,
18 expected to arrive in Brussels in the middle of this month.
It is understood he will dis- cuss a number of questions, in- cluding the proposed western pact, with the Premier, M. Paul van Zeeland, and the Foreign Minister, M. Spaak.-Trans- Ocean.
their
approval.
If not, it would be open to the majority, in accordance with If the decision of Congressmen in declining office had been due universally accepted practice under to a genuine misunderstanding of the constitutional position of the the system of responsible govern- Governors, he expressed belief that if Mr. Gandhi or anyone else ment, to form a ministry and so representing Congress, recognising the real constitutional position to accept responsibility for as he, Lord Zetland, had explained if, were to express a desire in action in displacing those in office. these altered circumstances to see the Viceroy, the latter would ap- proach the request with every desire to reach an understanding of what the position of the provincial representatives of Congress in the matter actually was.
Political
Rumours
Germany And The Soviet Union
Paris, To-day.
"I quite fail to see why the So- viet and Germany should come to any sort of rapprochement.”"-
So declared the Polish For- eign Minister, Colonel Joseph Beck, in an exclusive interview with the "Paris Soir" yesterday. Colonel Beck referred to the rum- ours in the British and French press that endeavours were being made to draw Moscow and Berlin: closer together.
“It is quite impossible as far as CONGRESS NOT PRIVILEGED · I can see," he declared.
Poland, he continued, had no cause Finally, Lord' Zetland said that the reserve powers were an integral to change her present attitude to
Germany.... part of the Constitution and could
"There has been a decisive im- Lord Zetland began his statement be explicable only on the assump- not be abrogated except by Parlia-
provement in Franco-Polish rela- has ment itself and the Governors could in the Lords by recalling that the tion either that Mr. Gandhi Congress Party were in a majority never read the Act or the Instru-not treat Congress as a privileged tions," said Colonel Beck, referring to his recent conversations with the the ment of Instructions or the report body exempt from the provisions French Foreign Minister, M. Yvon after the elections in six of eleven provinces and the circum- of the Joint Select Committee or, of a constitution by which all other stances in which the Congress leads that if he has done so, he had com- parties were bound. Having said ers in these six provinces, on being pletely forgotten, when he made that, he added, there was no reason invited to form Ministries sought his statement, the provisions em-why the reserve powers of the Gov-umours of his impending resigna- assurances from the Governors bodied in those documents in res-jernors should ever come into play. which the latter could not give. pect of the special responsibilities Whether they did or not must de-
vested in the Governors."
pend upon the policy and action of It was all the more unfortunate that the ministries themselves.
VICEROY'S ACTION
would offer to the leaders the fullest
was one
Delbos.
Colonel Beck firmly denied
tion-Frans-Ocean.
the
FIRE AND WATER
Berlin, To-day. Reports are appearing in English the
The Viceroy, with Lord Zetland's Mr. Gandhi should have made such A similar statement was made in and French newspapers that approval, had already reminded the a statement because large numbers the Commons by the Under-Secre-Soviet and Germany are endeavour- Governors that while he hoped they in India were accustomed to accept tary in the course of Parliamentary ing to reach a rapprochement.
The Tageblatt" says that "the any statement of his as necessar-answer-British Wireless.
London, To-day. circles whose nerves have been up- support possible within the frame- ily correct. Therefore he must work of the Constitution, certain ob
make it clear beyond possi- The situation in India arising set by the news ought at least to ligations had been imposed upon bility of doubt that the demand from the refusal of the Congress know enough about Germany to be them by Parliament, of which made to the Governors
Party to accept office where it aware that it would be more sen- without the authority of Parlia- which, without an amendment of commanded a majority in six sible to try mixing fire and water selves, and although the all-India possibly have accepted. ment, they could not divest them-the Constitution, they could not provinces was the subject of a than affecting a rapprochement be- question by the Labour opposi-tween Berlin and Moscow.”—Trans- Congress Committee then passed a
tion in the House of Commons Ocean. resolution making the acceptance of GOVERNORS' OBLIGATION yesterday afternoon. office by Congressmen conditional To illustrate this, Lord Zetland The Under-Secretary for India, upon an assurance that the Gov-cited the example of a Hindu or in his reply, reviewed recent de ernor "would not use his special Moslem majority ministry which velopments and said that if Mahat- powers of interference or set aside proposed to curtail the number of ma Gandhi or any body represent- Sir William Soulsby, who had the advice of ministers in regard schools available to Moslems oring Congress recognising the real served 55 Lord Mayors of London to their constitutional activities," it Hindus as the case might be. Such constitutional position as now ex- as private secretary-from, 1875- was widely assumed in India, in action would clearly be constitu-plained, expressed a desire to see 1931--has died at the age of 84. the press and elsewhere, that the tional activity on the part of the the Viceroy, he believed His Excel- When he retired in. 1931 he had formula was one which would en ministry which the Congress lency would willingly approach the the record of having worked nine able Congress leaders in the pro-formula required the Governors not request with every desire to reach hours a day for over half a century, vinces to satisfy themselves as to to interfere with. But an obliga- an understanding as to what the and of having written all his letters the attitude of the Governors to- tion was imposed on the Governors position of the provincial represen-with his own hand. wards them, without requiring from under Section 52 of Act to safe-tatives of the Congress Party real- them assurances they could not give.guard the legitimate interests of ty is.-Reuter.
CONGRESS DECISION
[minorities.
NELSON NOTES FETCH £2,000
SERVED 55 LORD
MAYORS
During his service he was large-
ly responsible for the success of the various Mansion House funds, by which £12,000,000 were collect- ed.
He was an authority on all mat- ters connected with the City of be-London Corporation.
Sir William could talk interest-
Opinions might differ, Lord Zet- In the event, however, act-land added, as to the necessity for ing on instructions from head- auch safegards, but it could not be quarters, Congress leaders declin-doubted that the Indian minorities ed to accept office unless they themselves attached the utmost Letters written a few years received every assurance which it importance to them and the Gover-fore his death by Nelson, to Admiral was constitutionally impossible for nars could not divest themselves of Duckworth realised nearly £2,000 ingly of the Lord Mayors he had the Governors to give.
the special responsibilities and the at Sotheby's recently.
known→→→"my gallery of old mas- There followed what Lord Zet-powers conferred upon them of In one of the letters (which ters," he called them. land described as a “most surpris- making such safeguards effective. brought the highest price, £85) He attended hundreds of Man- ing statement” from Mr. Gandhi
Nelson referred to Napoleon "alsion House banquets. TRIBUTE TO MINISTRIES suggesting that the Congress form-
capering mad horse.”
"There is not the heavy drinkingTM ula asked for nothing more than The House applauded the Secre- Admiral Duckworth captured there was," he said recently, “Now- the implementing of the suggestion tary of State when he paid a tri-Swedish and Danish possessions in adays each guests drinks about one- which Mr. Gandhi attributed to Bribute to the public spirit of other the West Indies and beat the third of a bottle of wine. Years tish Ministers that ordinarily gor-political leaders in the six pro- French at St. Domingo.
ago it ran to bottles." ernors would not use their powers vinces who had undertaken the dif- The correspondence, with Nelson Originally he was a journalist of interference.
ficult and distasteful task of serv- was of a personal character. It son of the late Mr. Matthew Souls- ing in minority ministries in order was to Admiral Dockworth that by, of the "Times," and became that the King's Government might Nelson wrote "craving" Indulgence barrister in 1874. He was knight- be carried on.
as he was a left-handed man," after ed in 1902.
ASTONISHING CONTENTION
To contend that there was no difference between auch an expres-
These ministries were absolutely he had lost his right arm. sion of opinion and the request for constitutional.
In a letter dated 1802--three Suffering from a fractured right a pledge by a governor himself in The future depended on the years before his death at Trafal-farm, received when he fell while on advance to make no use of his spe-Legislatures.
gar-Nelson prophesied that Napo-board the Liang Chow at Taikoo minia-leon would get "such a fall that he Docks, Chan Kut, was admitted to
their would never rise again."
the G.C.H.
cial powers was, Lord Zetland said, The policy of the #so astonishing that it appears to】 tries might be,
with