Coll 1/49 'Aden. Administration and control: changes consequent on Indian constitutional reforms; transfer to HMG' [‎443r] (894/968)

OxN INDIAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
20° Novembris, 1933.] MexMoranbum by Sir Phibozp rn x-
C. Sethna, O.B.E., on the F^thke Con S “Zon o,
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a ? anno'.ncement whiA simply staggered the Assembly. It came as
a bolt from the blue H.s Excellency said that the military and poHtical
administration of Aden had been definitely transferred to the Home Gov
ernment, and this, as I say, without any previotus reference to the Leg°V
Mows’-- enOUg he “““' ■■ 'cement went on to add as
As Honourable Members are aware, the Settlement of Aden itself
is peopled to a very great extent by our fellow- Indian subjects The
Government of India have thought it right that their welfare and
,n rests should not go outside the ken of the Government of India It
will accordingly be retained; that part of the Settlement and the
manic,pal,ty of Aden will remain under the Government of India ’
", I ,, : 0l ' ld ast ‘ he Homse to note very carefully that what I am pro
posing m my motion to-day ,s in substance what the Commander-in-ChiS
announced as I nave just stated.
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“The Commander-in-Chief’s announcements surprised the c
it is no wonder that in both the Houses there Ctry IveTe crHicSn
of the attitude of Government in regard to this matter. 'Not only wm S
Indian Legislature kept ,n the dark, but even the Provincial Government
,mmed,.tely concerned namely that of Bombay, was entirely in the dark
and that ,n spite of the fact that the Government of India knew the v.ews
of th Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. on the question. In this House we have
oicia representatives of the different Provincial Governments We ale
not often favoured with an opportunity of bearing their voices, and it is
ny on very rare occasions, and when such Provincial Governments think
A b l°- e - 5 ’ "TUF m the mterests “ f ou-li Previncial Govern-
menta that their view should be placed before the House, that their repre-
.ontatives do get up and talk. Such was an occasion when I moved my
LmmeV n rt eP H mber ’ I 1 ! 921 ' The then re P re sentative of the Bombay
Government the Honourable Mr. Pratt, a Member of the Indian Civil
nIT’ T .": 0r ‘! S wh,ch show “ d th “ feeling which the Government of
Bombay entertained on the question of the transfer of Aden. He said: —
“Z e transfer of Aden to the Colonial Office is a qmestion in which
e Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. is deeply and closely interested. Towards
question the attitude of the Bombay Government cannot in any
circumstances be one of neutrality and I have been authorised to give
xpression to the provisional views of the Bombay Government at this
stage of the discussion of this question. Their position is that they
ave had very little notice and indeed very little time for the con
sideration of this question. They have had very little information of the
grounds upon which the transfer has been considered. It is also a fact
a public opinion both in Bombay and Aden has expressed itself
very strongly against the proposed transfer. Very strong protests have
een recorded by the trading communities of Bombay and Aden, and for
a reason for the present the Bombay Government objects to any
change in the status quo.’
Now, Sir, the Bombay Government have not changed their view's, as is
eudent from what followed in the Bombay Council exactly a week after the
announcement made by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in the
ssembly. That announcement, as I have already said, was made on 3rd
arch, 1927. On 10th March, 1927, the Home Member of the Bombay
0 ;™ent, Sir Ernest Hotson, introduced a Bill called the Aden Civil
and Criminal Justice Bill in the Bombay Council and in regard to the
19356 A 2