(    50   )

the most vital concern to the people, and that there should
be no reserved subjects and no Grand Committee. I would
agree that the resolutions of the Councils other than
those relating to the budget should be treated as recom¬
mendations. Resolutions relating to the budget should
be binding on the Executive and the budget should be
modified to accord with them, subject to this limitation
that the Legislative Council should not have the power
to reduce existing expenditure on departments relating
to law and order without the consent of the Governor-
in-Council. No new expenditure should be incurred
unless it is approved by the Legislative Council.

Burma.

^6. I should not omit to say a few words about Burma.
The reason given for setting aside the problem of
Burma's political evolution for separate and future consi¬
deration are inadequate and unconvincing. Burma was
annexed to British India against the wish both of
Burmans and Indians. If it had been made a Crown
Colony as the Indian National Congress had urged,
it would not have had to bear the greater cost of
administration by the Indian Civil Service. But the
proposal did not suit the Service, for the emoluments
and prizes of the Indian Civil Service are greater than
those of a Crown Colony. However, as Burma has had
to bear so long the disadvantages of having been made
a province of India, it is nothing but fair that it should
be allowed to share with the rest of India the advant¬
ages of a popular administration. It would appear
that it has an even stronger claim to a measure of self-
government than India, It was but yesterday that it
was deprived of self-rule and placed under foreign
subjection. Those conditions upon which Mr. Montagu
and Lord Chelmsford have laid so much emphasis arc
much more favourable there than in India. Education is
far more widespread among the people, there are no such