§ SIR M. BHOWNAGGREE (Bethnal Green, N. E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India (1) if he is aware that in the last two years an annual celebration to stir up disaffection against England among the natives of India has been set on foot under the designation of the Shivajee Accession ceremony; (2) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that on 12th, 13th, and 14th of last month such celebration took place on a large scale in Poona, when one Professor Paranjpe delivered a discourse, the substance of which was, that in discontent lies the root of prosperity, and contentment kills prosperity; also, that on the same occasion a man named Jinsiwale stated that Shivajee's ruling passion was a terrible disgust at the humiliation of his country and religion by aliens, that is, the British; and added that he did not see why the saying of the revolutionists in France, that they were not murdering men but simply removing the thorns in their way, should not be made applicable to the Deccan, of which Poona is the capital; (3) whether 159 he is aware that Gungadlhur Tilak, the editor of the Mahratta and Kesari newspapers, presided at the celebration and made a speech, in which he counselled the murder of Europeans, and that the malachchas, that is, the British, had no charter from God to rule India; (4) and, whether any steps have been taken by the Local Authorities to stop such systematic training of large numbers of people and students, and the incitement of them to such actions as led to the assassination of Mr. Rand and Lieutenant Ayerst within a week of the last Shivajee celebration?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONI am aware that an annual festival has recently been established in commemoration of Shivajee. I have seen a newspaper report of certain speeches made at the festival which took place last month, and it supports the description given in the second and third paragraphs of the Question. The question as to the connection between public incitements to violence and crime is occupying the attention both of the Government of India and of the Government of Bombay, but I am not prepared at present to make any further statement on the subject ["Hear, hear!"]
§ SIR WILLIAM WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he can now state what inquiry was made at the time into the detailed allegations of oppression contained in the Poona memorial of the 10th of May regarding plague administration, and what reply was given to the memorialists?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONIn reply to an inquiry which I addressed to the Governor of Bombay, I am informed that on the receipt of this memorial Mr. Rand was desired to report upon the allegations which it contained, and that the reply of the Government was postponed until his report should be received. The report was, however, still incomplete at the time of his murder, and consequently no reply has yet been given. I should point out that the memorial was not sent to the Governor until the special plague duties had ceased. There was no ground for considering the possibility of a change of system. I am further informed that all complaints made to Government officers during plague operations were inquired 160 into, and any matters including general allegations were subject to Lord Sandhurst's own personal inquiry.