§ 15. Earl WINTERTONasked the Secretary of State for India whether the decision of the terms of the financial settlement between India and Burma, in the event of a separation, will be available before the elections are held in Burma in the autumn?
§ Sir S. HOAREI am afraid that it is now most unlikely that it will be possible, before the elections are held in Burma, to conclude the discussions of this complicated question and bring to arbitration such points as are not agreed by the two Governments, who will doubtless do all in their power to expedite matters. But the Howard-Nixon Report, which has been available for many months, gives a sufficiently complete picture of the broad financial results of separation to enable the electors to pay due regard to the financial question in making their choice.
7. Mr. PRICE (for Major MILNER)asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the dissatisfaction existing in Burma owing to the defectiveness of the existing electoral rolls, he will instruct the Government of Burma to prepare new rolls so that all those properly entitled may vote upon the issue of separation from India?
§ Sir S. HOAREI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 20th June to a similar question by the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. D. Grenfell), and of which I am sending him a copy.