House of Commons, which displayed business-like mood in dealing with the mass of opposition amendments, The frst important subject tackled was the appointment of the Viceroy.
'Mr. Wilam J. Thorne, Labour MP. for the Plaistow division of West Ham, moved an amendment provide the establishment of a per= manent committee consisting "of former Viceroys, whom the Prime Minister should' consult before appointing the Governor-General under Thorne insisted that the Governor-General was the keystone of the whole might of the Constitution's fabric, and questioned whether the. appointment of euch a vital office should be lett to the play of political chance.
Conservative Amendment Rejected The amendment: was opposed by Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary of State for India. He declared that jhe sym. athized "with the object of he amendment in removing the appoint= ment of the Viceroy from the sphere of party politics. He did not, how. ever, agree that it would be wise to remove the responsibility from the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
Liberals and Labourites also opposed the amendment, which was withdrawn.
The House also rejected, by 224 voles to 49, an amendment proposed Jby Viscount Wolmer, Conservative MP. for the Aldershot division of Hampshire. This proposed a provision in the Constitution to make ihe Viceroy irremoveable except by a petition from both Houses of Parli ment to the Throne, Sir Samuel Hoare, in opposing this amendment, urged that such a. provision would be a bad innovation and. a mistake, The Right Course The question of an All-India Federation was discussed at length on another amendment, proposed by Viscount Wolmer, for the establish. ment of an Advisory Council of [Greater India representing the dian States and British India, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edward Grigg, National Conservative for the Altrincham division of Cheehire, in discussing this question from the viewpoint of preserving the morale of the Indian services, said that, in his opinion, the right course was to fell British India and the Princes broad lines upon which they intended to proceed. Such a course, he added, would steady the services by re. moving the element of uncertainty.
The debate was adjourned—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.