§ MR. FAWCETTasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether he will as- 667 certain from the Government of Bombay, and state to the House, the reasons which induced that Government to refuse to some of the leading inhabitants of Bombay the use of the town hall, when they recently desired to hold a public meeting in it for the purpose of expressing their opinions on the proposed new taxation in India; and, whether he can inform the House when the Papers relating to the Act recently passed for regulating the native Press will be laid upon the Table?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY,in reply, said, the Government of Bombay did not allow the use of the town hall, which was a Government building, for a meeting called to protest against the legislation of the Government. The same course had been pursued on a former occasion by Sir Philip Wodehouse. The Papers relating to the Press Laws of India had not yet been received, and he could not say when they would be presented to the House.
§ MR. FAWCETTasked, Whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware it was a fact that the town hall of Calcutta had been given up to the inhabitants for the holding of a meeting precisely similar to that which it was proposed to hold in Bombay?
§ MR. FAWCETTsaid, he would renew the Question on Monday.