§ SIR MANCHERJEE BHOWNAGGREE (Bethnal Green., N.E.)To ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he will state the number of guests invited to the Coronation from the colonies, I dependencies, and feudatory states, respectively, of the Empire, as well as the number of troops and other military contingent drawn from those countries to assist in the functions connected with the Coronation: whether the expenses of the residence and entertainment of all such guests and troops have been charged to their respective countries, as has been done in respect of those of India; whether his attention has been drawn to the disapproval with which the idea of levying from the Indian Exchequer the expenses in connection with the guests and troops from that country is regarded both here and there; and whether he proposes to have the said charges defrayed from the British Exchequer.
(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) I; cannot state without further inquiry 1118 the exact number of guests invited to the Coronation from all portions of the Empire. I believe that the larger part, if not the whole, of the cost of their stay in this country has been charged to Imperial funds, and the Secretary of State for India is now in communication with the Treasury with the view of obtaining, so far as the different conditions prevailing in India will allow, similar treatment for our Indian guests.