§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, whether H. D. Phillips, C.S., Under Secretary to the Government of Bengal, was editor of the Calcutta Review, the October and January numbers of which contain strong party attacks on persons of position and repute in India; whether it is in accordance with the regulations in India that a prominent Government official should publish such matter under the authority of his name; and, whether the Secretary of State will take any action thereon?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST,) ChathamThe Secretary of State has no official information as to the present editorship of the Calcutta Review. The rule is that no Government officer can edit any periodical without the sanction of Government; and such sanction is only given when such periodical is mainly devoted to non-political topics, such as art, science, and literature. The attention of the Government of India will be directed by the Secretary of State to the political character which the Calcutta Review is assuming.
§ MR. J. M. MACLEANWill the Under Secretary obtain from the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Bradlaugh) a list of the "persons of position and repute in India" who are henceforth to be exempt from criticism?
No answer was given.