SIR W. WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to a Memorial of the Behar Indigo Planters' Association, dated the 28th of January last, addressed to the Viceroy, in which they state that there is urgent necessity for the issue of Regulations regarding the slaughter of kine, in order that the religious feelings or prejudices of their Hindu fellow-subjects may be spared as much as possible without infringing on the rights of any other community: and to a letter addressed by Sir W. Hudson, President of the above Association, to The Pioneer, in which it is alleged that the most cherished feelings of orthodox Hindus are unnecessarily wounded daily, and the slaughter of cattle is often conducted in a manner which would not be tolerated in England, and in which Sir W. Hudson recommends that the ancient Regulations of the Mahommedan Emperors on the subject of cow-killing should be revived and 220 applied to the whole of India; whether he is aware that Mr. Arthur Rogers, of the Bengal and North-Western Railway, has matured a scheme for this purpose, which has the approval of leading Mahommedans and Hindus, and has commended itself to Mr. Le Messurier, who was deputed by the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal to inquire into the origin of the cow-killing riots; and whether the Secretary of State will cause inquiry to be made into the merits of this scheme, with a view to restoring friendly relations among the various Indian communities?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. H. H. FOWLER, Wolverhampton, E.)My attention has been called to the Behar Planters' Memorial and Sir William Hudson's letter. I am not acquainted with Mr. Rogers' scheme; but, if Mr. Le Messurier has reported in its favour I have no doubt but that it has been considered by the Government of India. I will ask the Government of India what answer has been returned to the Behar planters, and also whether Mr. Rogers' scheme has come before them, and, if so, what is their opinion upon it.