§ SIR ROPER LETHBRIDGE (Kensington, N.)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether Her Majesty's Government have received any intimation of a feeling on the part of the Native community of India, that the proposed Parliamentary inquiry into Indian administration will be inadequate if it be carried on only in England, and if it be not supplemented by an inquiry in India independent of the Indian Government; and, whether the Government are willing to institute a thoroughly exhaustive and impartial local inquiry?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir UGHTRED KAY-SHUTTLE-WORTH) (Lancashire, Clitheroe)A representation has been received from certain Associations in India praying that a Royal Commission containing English statesmen of front rank and competent Indians, but no Anglo-Indian officials, be appointed, which should take evidence in India. The Viceroy has been desired to inform them that it has been decided, according to precedent, to propose a Parliamentary Committee, and it is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to institute an independent inquiry in India.
§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)inquired on what day the subject would be brought before the House?
SIR UGHTRED KAY-SHUTTLE-WORTH, in reply, said, that a Motion for a Committee was made in "another place" by his noble Friend the Secretary of State yesterday; but until the names had been submitted to the House of Lords it would be impossible for a message to be sent to the House of Commons; but when that had been done, a Motion would be made on behalf of the Government for the appointment of the Committee.
§ SIR ROPER LETHBRIDGEgave Notice that, in consequence of the answer that had just been given, he should, when the Motion was brought forward, move that no inquiry into the administration of India would fulfil the just expectations of the Indian people or satisfy that House which did not provide for a local investigation independent of the Government of India.
§ MR. MACFARLANE (Argyll)asked whether any facilities would be given to Natives of India to come before the Parliamentary Committee free of expense?
SIR UGHTRED KAY-SHUTTLE-WORTHsaid, that that would be a question for the Committee to consider when it had been appointed; but he imagined that there would not be any indisposition to grant any necessary facilities for the purpose of taking evidence.