§ MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India if he can state whether the Government of India have arrived at any decision in regard to the sentences recently pronounced upon the Juberaj and the Senaputty; and whether, as the Government have requested further information from the Government of India concerning the occurrences at Manipur, Her Majesty's Government will urge the Government of India to spare the lives of the Juberaj and the Senapatti until complete information is received and Her Majesty's Government are in a position to review fully all the circumstances of the case?
SIR J. GORSTThe answer to the first paragraph of the hon. Member's question is in the negative. Sufficient time has not yet elapsed for the evidence in these cases to have reached the Government of India; and the Government of India has given the Senapatti three weeks for the presentation of a Petition. In reply to the second paragraph of the question, I may say that the Secretary of State does not see any necessity for sending further instructions or fettering the discretion of the Government of India, in the proper exercise of which he has full confidence.
§ Mr. CREMERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if the sentences which have been pronounced on the Juberaj and the Senapatti are likely, under any circumstances, to come under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government; and whether Her Majesty's Government are likely to exercise any control over the carrying out of the sentences?
SIR J. GORSTI am sure the hon Member will see that I cannot be expected to say what is likely to happen. I can only state what is happening. The evidence is on its way to the Government of India, and the Governor General has given three weeks to the Jubraj and the Senapatti to present a Petition. They will no doubt most carefully consider the evidence. The Secretary of State has full confidence that the Government of India will carry out their duty properly.