HC Deb 09 August 1905 vol 151 cc799-800
MR. SCHWANN

To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to state the result of the Conference in Ceylon appointed to provide proper facilities for the education of children on plantations in that colony; whether their recommendations include the introduction of a scheme of compulsory education for Cingalese and Tamils; and whether he has any official information showing that missionary bodies have threatened to withdraw financial support from grant-in-aid schools in the event of the adoption of such scheme; if a conscience clause is included in the proposal referred to above; and will he state why no Tamil was † See (4) Debates clxi., 1085. appointed to sit on the Commission in question

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) I am not yet aware of the nature of the Report of the Commission, which was to be delivered at the end of July; and I have no information on the points raised by the hon. Member.