§ MR. O'REILLYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether an order has been issued by the Governor General in Council in India—
Relative to providing a room in the Lines of European Regiments in India to which the men can resort for private reading and prayer, and for holding prayer meetings and other meetings of a similar character, and directing that a room of a suitable size, with such furniture as may be deemed to fit it for the purposes above-mentioned, shall be considered one of the recognized requirements in the barracks of every British Regiment or considerable detachment of British Troops; and further that a residence will be assigned to a Scripture Reader in the married quarters.Whether the rooms contemplated in the above order will be available for the Roman Catholic Soldiers for similar purposes of united and public prayer and other devotional exercises consonant with their religion; and, whether in cases where Roman Catholic Soldiers comprise the majority or or other large portion of the troops, a residence will be assigned to a Roman Catholic Catechist or religious teacher, as in other cases to a Protestant Scripture Reader?
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE, in reply, said, he had received no information on the subject of this order, although he had seen some reference to it in the newspapers. If such an order had been issued he would no doubt receive official information respecting it in a few days.