HC Deb 05 May 1890 vol 344 cc144-5
MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that Mr. Kenvey, Agent to the Governor General of India, at Indore, has recently issued a notice that— No Association should be organised within Residency limits without the Agent to the Governor General's permission and approval; The so-called Indore Students' Association is not recognised as a public Association so far as the Residency limits are concerned, though of course there is no objection to private persons meeting and debating as much as they please, provided they do not transgress the law; No official, student, or school-boy connected with the Residency Establishment is permitted to join any Association within the Residency limits which has not been approved by the Agent to the Governor General. And no such official, student, or school-boy may, without special permission, attend the meeting or meetings of any unauthorised Association within Residency limits; ' whether he can state under what authority such notice has been issued; whether there is any precedent for the issue of such a notice; whether the notice has been approved by the Government of India; and whether the Secretary of State will call for a Report on the circumstances leading' to the issue of such notice?

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOE INULA (Sir J. GORST,) Chatham

The Secretary of State has no official information on the subject. The notice appears to be within the ordinary authority of the Agent to the Governor General, and does not seem to the Secretary of State to call for special inquiry.

*MR. BRADLAUGH

Has the Agent ordinary authority to interfere with a meeting of native Indians?

The question was not answered.