HC Deb 12 January 1894 vol 20 cc1451-2
MR. CAINE (Bradford, E.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India if the India Office has yet received a copy of the recent Instructions issued by the Government of India, ordering that in future the police, in dealing with a riot, shall not use blank cartridge, but use only ball cartridge; if these Instructions have been sanctioned by the Secretary of State for India; and if he will lay copies of the Instructions, and any Correspondence thereon, upon the Table of the House?

* MR. GEORGE RUSSELL

(1 and 3.) No copy of any such Instructions has been received by the Secretary of State, nor has he had any correspondence with the Government of India on the subject. (2.) No.

MR. CAINE

May I ask whether the India Office receives any information of any kind or description from India at all?

* MR. GEORGE RUSSELL

It is not the practice of the India Office to attach credence to mere newspaper reports.

MR. CAINE

Was it not published in The Gazette of India?

* MR. GEORGE RUSSELL

I do not know if it is so. We have received no intimation from India of any kind on the subject.

MR. CAINE

Does my hon. Friend include The Gazette of India among the newspapers?

* MR. GEORGE RUSSELL

No, Sir; but we do not take cognisance of grievances unless they are confirmed on official authority.