On Tuesday two announcements of great importance were made in
regard to the government of India. The first stated that a Royal Commission had been appointed to "inquire into the relations now existing, for financial and administrative purposes, between the Supreme Government and the various Provincial Governments in India, and between the Provincial Governments and the authorities subordinate to them ; and to report whether, by measures of decentralisation or otherwise, those relations can be simplified and improved, and the system of government better adapted to meet the require- ments and promote the welfare of the different provinces, and, without impairing its strength and unity, to bring the executive power into closer touch with local con- ditions. The Commission is to be composed as follows :— Chairman : Sir H. W. Primrose (Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue). Members: Sir F. S. P. Lely (lately Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces), Sir S. W. Edgerley (Member of the Council of the Governor of Bombay), Mr. R. C. Dutt (Indian Civil Service, retired), Mr. W. S. Meyer (Secretary to the Government of India, Military Finance Branch), Mr. W. L. Hichens (lately Colonial Treasurer of the Transvaal). Secretary : Mr. H. Wheeler (Indian Civil Service)." Though we are not among those who think that the present system of Indian government requires any very 'great or organic change, we recognise the fact that it is quite possible that some useful suggestions for modification can be made. At any rate, the Commission will have one good result. It will prove that the British Government are now, as always, perfectly willing to listen to reasonable suggestions for the improvement of Indian administration.
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