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Coll 1/49 'Aden. Administration and control: changes consequent on Indian constitutional reforms; transfer to HMG' [449r] (906/968)
The record is made up of 1 volume (480 folios). It was created in 12 Oct 1933-3 Jun 1937. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
ON INDIAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
15
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i already to in J
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20° Novembris, 1933.] Memorandum by the
Secretary of State for India.
[Continued.
stitutionally anomalous if the Settlement became part of a semi-autonomous
Indian Federation. Such a constitutional anomaly would be removed bv the
retransfer of military control to India but this solution is ruled out bv the
requirements of Imperial Defence. ^
Imperial Interests.
6. The strategic^ position of Aden, and its importance from this point of
view to the Empire in the East generally and not merely to any sino-l e
Empire unit, is a strong argument for control by the Home Government
This by itself might be viewed as a decisive objection to the retention of
the existing condominium when once the new constitution is established in
India. Aden, in fact, besides its importance to the Empire as a refuelling
station, is of greater general strategic importance to Imperial communica
tions and to the Empire as a whole than to India by itself; moreover Aden
(Settlement plus Protectorate, which for this purpose are a’n integral ’whole)
is of political importance with regard to Arabia. '
Arab Interests.
7. One of the most important factors to be considered is the interests of
the Arab majority of the Aden population. In the Indian Legislature
reference was made to resolutions against transfer purporting to represent
the views of the Arabs as well as of the Indians. Hut since the publication
of my statement of 19th June, the object of which was to elicit Arab as well
as Indian opinion, I have been at pains to obtain from the Chief Com
missioner a report on the real wishes of the Arabs. The Chief Commissioner
reports that the Arab community are as a whole satisfied with the existing
state of affairs (i.e., with an administration controlled through the Gov
ernment of India by His Majesty’s Government), but that they view wuth
grave misgivings the possibility that the Government of Aden may become
Indianised as the result of constitutional changes in India, and fear the
subordination of Arab to Indian interests; and (since a continuance of the
present state of affairs would in any case be made impossible by the forth
coming Indian Reforms) they would on the whole prefer that the adminis
tration of Aden should henceforth be controlled by His Majesty’s Govern
ment direct.
ID i
Etly in rowj
ins aniiiiifis|
Fear of racial discrimination.
8. One of the fears expressed in the Indian Legislature was that Sunder
Crown Colony Government Indians would sniffer from racial discrimination.
This is really answered by the categorical assurance wRich I gave on I9th
June that, as one of the conditions of transfer, “No racial legislation or
segregation would be permitted by His Majesty’s Government.” There is
no parallel at all between the situation in Aden and that in Kenya which
has been referred to in the debates in the Indian Legislature.
Financial effect of transfer.
useierfC .9; In the Council of State debate, Sir P. Sethna suggested that, if the
Purtlergifki administration of Aden is transferred, India would lose Rs. 10
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
itinction revenue from salt, income tax and super-tax, to set off against the saving
eiseDtiai®'-' 0U ^ le military contribution. This point was dealt with by Sir G. Schuster
m .^ le legislative Assembly. India would save the military contribution
Ijt , jsts- which in 1930-31 was £150,000 (20
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
), in 1931-32 £136,000, and in
milii (rtf 5 ' 1932-33 about £120,000 (according to the preliminary figures), and might
ctoratt m an y year rise again to the maximum of £150,000. On the other hand, as
About this item
- Content
The volume contains papers regarding the transfer of the civil administration of Aden from the Government of India to the Colonial Office, and the preparation of the Aden Colony Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. (1936), and 'Royal Sign Manual and Signet to the Governor and Commander in Chief of the Colony of Aden (1937)'.
The volume is predominantly made up of correspondence between the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Political Department, the Colonial Office, the Aden Chief Commissioner (later Governor) Bernard Reilly, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Legal Advisor's Department, and the Secretary of State for India. The volume also contains numerous heavily-annotated drafts of the Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. and the Royal Instructions, plus minutes of meetings held at the Colonial Office, and extracts from the Home Affairs Committee and the Joint Committee on Indian Constitutional Reform. Final drafts can be found at folios 13-20, in addition to copies of Reilly's inauguration speech (folios 25-28).
The correspondence covers a range of topics, including: Indian and Arab sentiment over the transfer; problems of condominion; the importance of Aden to Britain's imperial aims; representations from the Indian and Aden business communities; the maintenance of representation for Aden subjects at the Bombay High Court; Aden's free port status; questions of income tax and salt duty; the wording of the Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. and Royal Instructions; and a proposal to list the Kuria Muria Islands as a named dependency of Aden, comparable to Shaikh Othman, Imad and Hiswa, and Perim.
The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 4).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (480 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 480; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The fold-outs on f 147, f 158 and f 159 are A and B items which are attached to the folios in order to add additional information about the document.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/1485
- Title
- Coll 1/49 'Aden. Administration and control: changes consequent on Indian constitutional reforms; transfer to HMG'
- Pages
- 441r:452v
- Author
- Joint Committee on Indian Constitutional Reform
- Usage terms
- Public Domain