HC Deb 11 August 1904 vol 140 cc333-4

Considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

[Mr. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith) in the Chair.]

Clause 1.

MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbinghshire, W.)

said he wished to put two or three consideration before the Committee in connection with the Bill. First of all, he wished the Committee to consider the excessive weight of the military element on the Indian Council. There was also the difficulty of introducing an expert on any particular subject. He would ask the Secretary of State to give the Committee some assurance that in future he would only appoint men to the Council who had not only a knowledge of general business matters, but who had experience of India. He also desired to obtain from the Secretary of State an undertaking that he would at all events consider the desirability of appointing at least one Indian representative on the Viceroy's Council. There need be difficulty in the way. He further hoped that the right hon. Gentleman would be able to promise the appointment of one representative Indian on the Council of the Secretary of State in this country. There could be no possible difficulty in that, as the representative Indian could not possibly have any deciding voice in the decisions to be arrived at; but it would be a concession to Indian opinion which would be much appreciated.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford

said the Council of the Governor-General was so small that there would be great difficulty in providing that one Indian should always be upon it. Moreover, the probabilities were that an Englishman would be more likely to possess the confidence of the natives as a whole than any one Indian who could be found.

Clause 1 agreed to.

Clause 2 agreed to.

Bill reported, without Amendment. Read the third time, and passed.