But as no direct attempt has yet been made to on provincial Governors to disregard an adverse ntroduce responsible government at the centre, he step in that direction having been avowedly onfined to the provinces, and as consequently he Executive Government of India remains egally responsible as a whole for the proper fulfil nent of its charge to the Secretary of State and Parliament, it follows that the powers conferred vote of the Legislative Council on legislation or supplies are, as conferred on the GovernorGeneral in his relationship with the Indian Legislature, less restricted in their operation than in the provinces; that is to say, they cover the whole field and are not confined in their application to categories of subjects. THE INDIA OFFICE, The Act makes no structural changes Indian students in England. Concurrently - in the part played by the India Office in with this change, it is now possible to defray the administration of Indian affairs. Slight from British revenues the salaries of the Secrealterations have been effected in the tary of State and of the Parliamentary Under number and tenure of office of the members of the Secretary of State's Council, and some relaxations have been made in the statutory rigidity which formerly bound their procedure and that of the Office in general. But provisions now exist which will undoubtedly as time goes on have a material effect on the activities of the Office as it is now constituted. A High Commissioner for India has been appointed for - the purpose of taking over, as the direct agent of the Government of India, that portion of India Office functions which is of the nature of agency, as distinct from administrative supervision and control. The process of separation of staff and functions for the purpose of this transfer will necessarily be somewhat slow, but a substantial beginning has been made by handing over to the direct control of the High Commissioner the large departments which are concerned with the ordering and supply of stores and stationery in England for Government use in India, with the payment of pensions to retired members of Indian services resident in the United Kingdom, and with the assistance of Secretary, and that portion of the cost of salaries of India Office staff and general maintenance which is attributable to the exercise of its ad. ministrative as distinct from purely agency functions. In due course the apportionment to British estimates will be the cost of the India Office as it exists after the transfer of functions to the High Commissioner has been completely effected; then the salaries of the High Commissioner and his staff will be the only expenses in the United Kingdom chargeable to Indian revenues. Until that time arrives, however, an estimate was the only basis for settlement, and for five years from 1920-21, the cost of the India Office payable from British revenues has been fixed at 136,5001., which includes the salaries of the Secretary of State and of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, and a contribution of 40,000l., which has for some years been made by the Treasury towards Indian expenditure, as the result of the recommendations of the Welby Commission. THE FUTURE. The Act of 1919 and its provisions are appointment, with the concurrence of both essentially transitional. It is intended, not Houses of Parliament, of persons to be a Comto set up a new and permanent constitution, mission to inquire into the working of the but to make such changes in the law as Indian Constitution and to consider the will enable "the progressive realisation of responsible Government in British India as an integral part of the Empire." This feature of the Act was clearly expressed in its Preamble but although the Preamble finds no place in the law as amended by the Act of 1919, that law now contains provision for the appointment, after a period of 10 years' trial of the law in its amended form, of a Parliamentary Commission "for the purpose of inquiring into the working of the system of government, the growth of education, and the development of representative institutions in British India, and matters connected therewith," and such a Commission, when appointed, is directed to "report as to whether it is desirable to establish the principle of responsible government, or to extend, modify, or restrict the degree of responsible government then existing" in British India. Statutory Commission appointed. On November 8, 1927, the Prime Minister (Mr. Baldwin) made the following statement in the House of Commons, announcing the appointment, personnel and programme of the Statutory Commission on Indian Reforms. "As the House will remember, one of the provisions contained in the Indian Reforms Act of 1919 required, "at the expiration of ten years after the passing" of that Act, the desirability of establishing, extending, modify. ing, or restricting the degree of responsible government then existing there. The Government have decided, for various reasons which I need not now specify that it is desirable to anticipate the date (December, 1929) contemplated by the Act, and to appoint this most important Royal Commission forthwith. Balancing the various considerations and endeavouring to give due weight to each, His Majesty's Government have decided upon the following procedure :- (a) They propose to recommend to His Majesty that the Statutory Commission should composed as follows: The Right Hon. Sir John Simon, K.C.V.Ο., The Right Hon. Stephen Walsh, (It was subsequently announced that owing to ill-health, Mr. Walsh would be unable to serve and Mr Vernon Hartsborn was nominated in his place.) Colonel the Right Hon. G. R. Lane-Fox. (b) His Majesty's Government cannot, of course, dictate to the Commission what procedure it shall follow but they are of opinion that its task in taking evidence would be greatly facilitated if it were to invite the Central Indian Legislature to appoint a Joint Select Committee chosen from its elected and nominated unofficial members, which would draw up its views and proposals in writing and lay them before the Commission for examination in such manner as the latter may decide. The Committee might remain in being for any consulta tion which the Commission might desire at subsequent stages of the inquiry. It should be clearly understood that the purpose of this suggestion is not to limit the discretion of the Commission in hearing other witnesses: (c) His Majesty's Government suggest that a similar procedure should be adopted with the Provincial Legislatures: (d) The vast area to be covered may make it desirable that the task of taking evidence on the more purely administrative questions involved should be undertaken by some other authority which would be in the closest touch with the Commission. His Majesty's Government suggest that the Commission on arrival in India should consider and decide by what machinery this work may most appropriately be discharged, this will not, of course, debar the Commission from the advantage of taking evidence itself upon these subjects to whatever extent it may think desirable: (e) When the Commission has reported and its report has been examined by the Govern ment of India and his Majesty's Government it will be the duty of the latter to present proposals to Parliament. But it is not the intention of his Majesty's Government to ask Parliament to adopt these proposals without first giving a full opportunity for Indian opinion of different schools to contribute its view upon them. And to this end it is intended to invite Parliament to refer these proposals to consideration by a Joint Committee of both Houses and to facilitate the presentation to that Committee both of the views of the Indian Central Legislature by delegations who will be invited to attend and confer with the Joint Committee and also of the views of any other bodies whom the Joint Parliamentary Committee may desire to consult. The ante-dating of the Commission involves an amendment of the Act, and a Bill to this end will be introduced at once." PERSONNEL AND The Governor-General and the "Executive" members of his Council are appointed by the Crown. No limit of time is specified for their tenure of office, but custom has fixed it at five years. There are seven Executive Members of Council. These Members hold respectively the portfolios of Education, Health and Lands; Home; Finance; Commerce; Industries and Labour: Law. The Viceroy acts as his own member in charge of Foreign affairs. Railways are administered by a Chief Commissioner, with the assistance of a Railway Board; and are for administrative purposes grouped under the ægis of the Commerce Department. The Commander-in-Chief may also be and in practice always is, an "Ordinary" member of the Council. He holds charge of the Army Department. The Governors of Madras, Bombay and Bengal become "extra ordinary" members if the Council meets within their Prestdencies. The Council may assemble at any place in India which the Governor-Generalappoints; in practice it meets only in Delhi and Simla. In regard to his own Department each Member of Council is largely in the position of a Minister of State, and has the final voice in ordinary departmental matters. But any question of special importance, and any matter in which it is proposed to over-rule the views of a Local Government, must ordinarily be referred to the Viceroy. Any matter originating in one department which also affects another must be referred to the latter, and in the event of the Depart ments not being able to agree, the case is referred to the Viceroy. The Members of Council meet periodically as a Cabinet ordinarily PROCEDURE. once or twice a week-to discuss questions which the Viceroy desires to put before them, or which a member who has been over-ruled by the Viceroy has asked to be referred to Council. If there is a difference of opinion in the Council the decision of the majority ordinarily prevails, but the Viceroy can over-rule a majority if he considers that the matter is of such grave importance as to justify such a step. Each departmental office is in the subordinate charge of a Secretary, whose position corresponds very much to that of a permanent UnderSecretary of State in the United Kingdom, but with these differences that the Secretary is present though does not speak, at Council meetings at which cases under his cognisance are discussed that he attends on the Viceroy, usually once a week, and discusses with him all matters of importance arising in his Department; that he has the right of bringing to the Viceroy's special notice any case in which he considers that the Viceroy's concurrence should be obtained to action proposed by the Departmental Member of Council; and that his tenure of office is usually limited to three years. The Secretaries have under them Deputy, Under and Assistant Secretaries, together with the ordinary clerical establishments. The Secretaries and UnderSecretaries are often, though by no means exclusively, members of the Indian Civil Service. The Government of India has no Civil Service of its own as distinct from that of the Provincial Governments, and officers serving under the Government of India are borrowed from the Provinces, or, in the case of Specialists, recruited direct by contract. THE DIVISION OF FUNCTIONS. The keynote of the scheme is effective pro-of Governors in Council. This demanded a vincial autonomy and the establishment of an immediate measure of responsibility in the Provinces all of which are raised to the status sharp division between Imperial and Provincial functions. The following subjects are reserved to the Government of India, with the corollary that all others vest in the Provincial legislature to be essential in the public GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. Governments: 1. (a) Defence of India, and all matters connected with His Majesty's Naval, Military, and Air Forces in India, or with His Majesty's Indian Marine Service or with any other force raised in India, other than military and armed police wholly maintained by local Governments. (b) Naval and military works cantonments 2. External relations, including naturalisation and aliens, and pilgrimages beyond India. 3. Relations with States in India. 4. Political charges. 5. Communications to the extent described under the following heads, namely (a) railway and extra-municipal tramways in so far as they are not classified as provincial subjects under entry 6 (d) of Part 11 of this Schedule; (6) aircraft and all matters connected therewith; and (c) inland waterways, to an extent to be declared by rule made by the Governor-Generat in Council or by or under legislation by the Indian legislature. 6. Shipping and navigation, including shipping and navigation on inland waterways in so far as declared to be a central subject In accordance with entry 5 (с). 7. Light-houses (including their approaches) beacons, lightships and buoys. 8. Port quarantine and marine hospitals. 9. Ports declared to be major ports by rule made by the Governor-General in Council or by or under legislation by the Indian legislature. 10. Posts, telegraph and telephones, including wireless installations. 11. Customs, cotton excise duties, incometax, salt, and other sources of all-India revenues. 12. Currency and coinage. 13. Public debt of India. 14. Savings Banks. interest. 35. Survey of India. 36. Archæology. 37. Zoological Survey. 38. Meteorology. 39. Census and statistics. 40. All-India services. 41. Legislation in regard to any provincial subject in so far as such subject is in Part II of this Schedule stated to be subject to legislation by the Indian legislature, and any powers relating to such subject reserved by legislation to the Governor-General in Council. 42. Territorial changes, other than interprovincial, and declaration of law in connection therewith. 43. Regulation of ceremonial, titles, ordere, precedence, and civil uniform. 44. Immovable property acquired by, and maintained at the cost of, the Governor-General in Council. 45. The Public Service Commission. VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA. His Excellency the Right Hon. EDWARD FREDERICK LINDLEY WOOD, Baron IRWIN OF KIRBY UNDERDALE, G.M.S.I., G.M.Ι.Ε., 4th April 1926. PERSONAL STAFF OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. P. de la Hey. Comptroller of the Household.-Lt. Col. W. W. Aides-de-Camp. Capt. J. H. Taylor, 5 Horse; Surgeon. Lt. Col. H. H. Thornburn, C.I.E., Honorary Aides-de-Camp.-Lieut. Colonel Sir Ordinary Members COUNCIL, Smith, O.B.E., V.D. Poona Rifles; Lt.-Col. G. A. Bambridge, M.C., V.D. II Brigde, R.A.; Capt. E. J. Headlam, C.S.I., C.G.M., R.I.M.; Lt. Col. D. S. Mackay, V.D., Coast Battalion; Lt. Colonel N. L. Inkson, (G. I. P. Railway), Lt. Colonel T. R. Neely, (B. N. R.); Lt. Colonel T. Martin-Jones; Lt. Colonel B. Leicester; Lt. Col. G. C. Manders, Assam Valley Light Horse; Col. Commandant Sardar Bahadur Daud Khan, Alwar Partap Paltan; Lt. Colonel Sardar Bahadur Nand Singh, Faridkote State Forces; Colonel Bahadur Bachan Singh, Nabha Akal Infantry; Lt. Colonel Bahadur Sardar Sinhji, Bhavnagar Lancers; Hony. Capt., Sardar Bahadur, Mit Singh, 1.0.M., late 53rd Sikhs F. F.; Risaldar-Maj. Bahadur, Karm Singh, I.D.S.M., late 13th D. C. O. Lrs.; Hony. Capt., Sardar Bahadur, Muhi-ud-din Khan, C.I.E., I.D.S.M. late 31st D. C. O. Lrs.; Hony. Capt., Sardar Bahadur, Dalpat Singh, 1.0.M., late 9 Jat R.; Hony. Capt., Sardar Bahadur Gulab Shah, late 10 Baluch R. His Excellency Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood, Bart., G.C.B., G.O.M.G., K.C.S.I., Khan Bahadur Sir Mahomed Habibullah Saheb Bahadur, K.C.I.E. (Education, Health Sir George Rainy, K.C.L.E., C.S.I., (Railways, Commerce and Ecclesiastical). Sir Basil Blackett, K.C.S.I., K.C.B. (Finance). Sir Bhupendra Nath Mitra, Μ.Δ., Κ.Ο.Ι.Ε., C.B.E. (Industries and Labour). SECRETARIAT. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, HEALTH AND Secretary, J. W. Bhore, C.I.E., C.B.Ε., I.C.S., Deputy Secretary, G. S. Bajpai, C.I.E., C.Β.Ε. Educational Commissioner with the Government of India, R. Littlehailes, C.Ι.Ε. FINANCE DEPARTMENT. Secretary (offg.), A. F. L. Brayne, C.I.E., L.C.S. Inspector-General of Forests, A. Rodger, O.B.E., Chief Supdt, G. J. Piper. Asst. Secretary, Rai Bahadur N. M. Chakrabarti, Superintendents, T. McDonnell, H. H. Lincoln, Superintendents, Shah Mohammad, M.A., Bhag- Controller of the Currency, H. Denning, I.C.s. Accountant-General, Central Revenues, G. Kaula, 1 Auditor-General, Sir Frederic Gauntlett, K.B.E., Staff Officer to the Military Adviser-in-Chief, C.I.E., I.C.S. Controller, J. E. C. Jukes, C.I.E., I.C.S. Indian State Forces, Major W. H. Blood. Officers on Special Duty, T. K. Rajagopalan Superintendents, F. S. Hosley, C. H. Harcourt and C. V. S. Rao. ARMY DEPARTMENT. Secretary, G. M. Young, 1.c.s. Deputy Secretary, G. R. F. Tottenham, I.C.S. Establishment Officer, R. Tharle-Hughes, M.B.E. Director of Military Lands and Cantonments, Colonel R. H. Palin, O.B.Ε. Assistant Secretaries, Lieut.-Colonel F. G. Moore, C.B.E., J. C. R. Leslie (on leave), E. A. Daniel, Rai Bahadur J. C. Das Gupta (Offg.). Officer-in-Charge, Medal Distribution, W. C. Debenham, Μ.Β.Ε. Superintendents, A. P. Bates, Rai Sahib S. S. Ghosh, Rai Sahib H. D. Ghosh (Provisional) 8. Banerjee (offg.), A. P. West (offg.). N. N. Sen (offg.). and R. A. Pereira (offg.). Personal Assistant to the Army Secretary, Rai Bahadur A. P. Dube. CENTRAL BOARD OF REVENUE. Members. The Hon'ble Mr. A. R. L. Tottenham C.LE., I.C.S., and A. H. Lloyd, C.I.E., I.C.S. Secretary, V. S. Sundaram, Β.Α. MILITARY FINANCE BRANCH. Financial Adviser, A. Macleod, I.C.S. Deputy Financial Advisers, A. Slater, M.A., Assistant Financil Advisers, Rai Bahadur K. C. Maulk, B.A., H. D. Banerjee, Rai Sahib H. S. Kaisth, Rai Sahib A. K. Ghosh, B.A., Mr. F. W. Reed. Superintendents, Gauri Shanker, B.A., A. J. Mendes, A. T. Banerjee, Amar Nath and W. E. Morton. (on leave), Smith, R. S. Budd, G. G. BladenTaylor, G. M. Coates, J. R. Rodgers, J. Piner, (offg.), E. C. Otto (Offg.). HOME DEPARTMENT. Secretary, H. G. Haig, C.I.E., I.C.S. Deputy Secretary, J. D. V. Hodge, 1.C.S. | Superintendents, Rao Sahib K. P. Anantan, Director, J. Coatman, J. P. DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIES AND LABOUR. Secretary, The Hon'ble Mr. A. C. McWatters, C.I.E., I.C.S. Deputy Secretary, A. G. Clow, I.C.S. Assistant Secretary, Rai Bahadur H. L. Chibber (Offg.). Deputy Secretary, (Public Works Branch) and Offg. Consulting Engineer to the Government of India, D. G. Harris, C.I.E., Dip, Ing. Zurich., M.I.E. (Ind.). Assistant Secreatry, W. R. Chambers, V.D. Superintendents, Rai Sahib Atanu Mohan Banerjee, Rai Sahib Nihal Chand, B.A., (Offg.). A. M. Price (Offg.), Rai Sahib S. K. Banerjee, Rai Sahib Pdt, Gauri Shankar, Rai Sahib Dipchand, C. A. B. Watts. Offg. Superintendents, B. C. Tawakley, M.Α., A. M. Price, Bishamber Nath, B.A. Superintending Engineer, Simla Imperial Circle, A. Brebner, B.S.C., C.I.E. POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT. Director-General, H. A. Sams, C.I.E., I.C.S. (RAILWAY BOARD) RAILWAY DEPARTMENT. FOREIGN AND POLICITAL DEPARTMENT. Secretary, Political, The Hon'ble Sir John Chief Commissioner, Sir Clement Hindley, Kt. Thompson, K.C.I.E., C.S.I. Secretary Foreign, Sir Denys de S. Bray, K.C.I.E., C.S.L., C.B.E. Deputy Secretary, General, A. C. Lothian. Deputy Secretary Political, B. J. Glancy, C.I.E. Deputy Secretary, Foreign J. G. Acheson. Under-Secretary, K. S. Mohd, Inam-ul-Huk. Assistant Secretary, E. Bertram Higgs, M.B.E., (on leave). Assistant Secretary, J. W. S. Inglis, I.S.O. Financial Commissioner, Mr. A. A. L. Parsons, C.I.E., I.C'S. Member, Mr. P. C. Sheridan, C.M.G. Member, Sir Austen Hadow, Kt., c.v.0. Director of Establishment, Mr. S. Dutta Gupta, Μ.Δ., Μ.Β.Ε. Director, Civil Engineering, Mr. A. Lines. Director of Traffic, Mr. H. C. Sparke. Deputy Secretary, Mr. J. Kaul. Deputy Director, Programme, Mr. J. F. Blackwood. |