§ MR. BECKETT (Yorks., N.R., Whitby)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether full investigation has been made departmentally into the causes that led to the outbreak on the Indian frontier, and particularly into the relations which prevailed before the rising between the various frontier officers and officials and the tribes with which they were in contact; whether the India Office has carefully considered the recommendations and suggestions, with a view to an amended system of control, which have been made since the termination of the war by those who were engaged in it, or who by reason of special local experience of the tribes are best qualified to express an opinion; and whether the recommendation that the entire frontier should be placed under a distinct and separate administration will be carried into effect by the Indian Government, or do they propose to make any change in this direction?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAIn paragraph 10 of my dispatch to the Government of India, dated the 28th of January last, I entered into a full consideration of the causes which led to the outbreak on the Indian frontier. I further enlarged upon the same subject in a speech which I addressed to this House, and I have nothing further to add. The matters referred to in the second and third paragraph of the honourable Member's Question are at present the subject of correspondence between the India Office and the Government of India, and I am not at present in a position to make any statement of my conclusions.