The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 105
105 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN The Coronation was followed by the Imperial Conference, which in a different way was also a great experience. Technically, India was represented by the Secretary of State, at that time the Marquis of Zetland, and by me. The Marquis of Zetland attended the opening meeting, and then told me, "Zafrulla, you can take care of this. If you find on any occasion that you need to consult with me, you are welcome to come over to the India Office and we will talk. If you want me to attend a meeting, I will come in, but you can talk on behalf of India," which was very kind of him, for it put me, as it were, on the same level with the Prime Ministers, India not being independent and having no Prime Minister at the time. In the middle of the Imperial Conference, the changeover from Baldwin to Neville Chamberlain took place. Baldwin resigned and Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister. We all welcomed Neville Chamberlain the day he took the Chair. He used to be present, of course, as Chancellor of the Exchequer when Baldwin was presiding. I added a few words to what the others had said. He may have felt perhaps that there was a greater ring of sincerity in what I had said. When we were passing out at the end of the meeting and shook hands with him, he said to me, "I am particularly grateful for what you said about me. " It seems it was not merely a formal expression on his part, because later, as I have already said, he helped me a lot over the trade agreement. We continued to meet in social functions during my visits in 1937 and 1938. A slightly amusing incident took place one day in 1938. I was staying at that time with Sir Firoz Khan Noon, who was our High Commissioner in London. He used to live at the top of Putney Hill. We used to come up in his car, drive up to St. James's Park and if the weather was not unfavourable, took a walk around the Park, and then I would go to the Board of Trade, if I had a meeting that morning, or we would carry on together to India House. One day, we were walking through the Park, along the lake, and we saw the Prime Minister and Mrs. Chamberlain coming along. The High Commissioner, in an audible whisper, said, "The Prime Minister is coming. " When we passed each other, we raised our hats to each other, and I heard Mrs. Chamberlain say to the Prime Minister, "That was Sir Zafrulla. " He said, "Oh, yes I know. I know him very well," but no mention of the High Commissioner, who had pointed him out to me,