§ MR. KING (Hull, Central)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the fact that the recent Factory Commission in India was composed chiefly of natives, and confined itself almost entirely to examination of native operatives, and did not give the millowners or managers any adequate opportunity of stating their side of the case, the Government proposes to legislate on the basis of this investigation; whether, before interfering seriously with the existing conditions of Indian factory labour, the Government will consent to have a fuller inquiry; whether, on the whole, the Commission reported against any extensive interference with the existing regulations; and whether, before any legislation is undertaken, the Report of the Commission will be issued to Parliament, and an opportunity will be given for a discussion of such proposals in this House?
SIR J. GORSTThe inquiry and Report of the recent Commission were intended to supplement the information already before the Government and Legislature in India; and it is proposed to legislate on the basis of the whole of the information available. It is not proposed to have a further Commission of Inquiry at present. The recent Report of the Factory Commission was presented on the 6th of February, and is now being printed.
§ SIR W. HOULDSWORTH (Manchester, N.W.)Can my right hon. Friend say when the Report containing this information is likely to be in the hands of Members?
SIR J. GORSTI can only inform my hon. Friend that the Papers are in the hands of the printers, and that I am doing everything in my power to push them on.