MR. BEADLAUGHI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether the Secretary of State has received a copy of a letter addressed to Members of this House, intituled, "India. The Queen-Empress's Promises: How they are broken," issued from the Indian Political Agency, and written by Mr. William Digby, C.I.E.; whether he is aware if the statements contained therein are accurate, and the documents quoted, (1) a memorial to the Viceroy from the Chandalin Maharani of Rewa, and (2) an autograph letter from the Maharaja of Kashmir, are authentic; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the allegations in the said letter regarding the administration of affairs controlled by the Indian Foreign Office, in connection with the States of Gwalior, Eampur, Bhopal, Rewa, and Kashmir?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST, Chatham)The Secretary of State has received a copy of the letter in question. He cannot commend the accuracy of its statements, nor vouch the authenticity of the documents quoted. The Secretary of State declines to institute an inquiry into the administration of Native States by the Government of India at the instance of a private individual. All the Native Chiefs of India can make representations to the Secretary of State through the Government of India, and can appeal to him against any orders which are passed by that Government. No such representations or appeals have been received by the Secretary of State from any of the Native States mentioned in the question.