§ MR. WEIRTo ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is able to state to what extent the boycott movement in Bengal has affected the importation of British goods; and whether the Lieutenant-Governor of Eastern Bengal continues to prohibit in certain districts the singing of the hymn Bande Mataram, or Hail Motherland, and still orders the punishment of school boys for singing the hymn.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The statistics of imports into Bengal show no decline in trade with the United Kingdom, the imports of cotton goods for April, 1906, having been considerably in excess of those for the same months in 1904 and 1905. As to the cry of " Bande Mataram," the intention of the local government is that it should not be prohibited except where it disturbs public worship or would cause such feeling in the Mahomedan population as would be likely to lead to breach of the peace. I am not aware that these instructions have been exceeded.