§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether, in view of the great importance of having the official Reports upon Mr. Ilbert's Jurisdiction Bill (India) in possession of the House before it rises, he will now telegraph to the Indian Government for the Reports from Bengal and Assam which have been already received; whether he can confirm the statement of The Times Correspondent that the great majority of these Reports are against the Bill; and, whether Her Majesty's Government have received any confirmation of the alarming reports as to race antagonism shown by Natives towards Europeans, described in the letter of The Times Calcutta Correspondent of Monday the 25th?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSI must ask the hon. Member for Eye to have a little patience. Last week I told the hon. Member that the Government of India are aware how anxious we are that these Reports should be sent home without delay, and that it is therefore unnecessary to telegraph for them to be sent piecemeal. I have really nothing to add to this answer. I must ask the hon. Gentleman to let me have an opportunity of seeing the Reports before giving any opinion as to whether they do or do not confirm the statement of The Times Correspondent. Her Majesty's Government have not received any confirmation of 1553 the alarming reports referred to by the hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTThe hon. Gentleman asked me to have patience. I would ask him whether it would not greatly facilitate the production of these Reports if they wore telegraphed for; and whether, in fact, three weeks would not be saved?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSI have told the hon. Member that the Indian Government are well aware how anxious we are to have these Reports sent home as soon as possible, and it would, therefore, not expedite matters at all to telegraph for them.