§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)I bog to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the friends of the persons recently arrested and deported without trial in India are allowed to communicate with them or their relatives to see them at any time.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. MORLEY, Montrose Burghs)Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh are allowed to correspond with their friends, but their correspondence is examined to prevent messages being sent that might give rise to disturbances. So far one letter only has been stopped. My information is that no one has expressed a desire to see the prisoners; but there would, I presume, be no objection to their doing so under such supervision as would ensure that undesirable communications could not pass.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked if the same facilities would be granted to these prisoners as were given to Irish political prisoners in Kilmainham.
§ MR. MORLEYreplied that it was a long time ago, but, so far as he could remember, there were no political prisoners in Kilmainham during the time he was responsible for the Government of Ireland.
§ *MR. MACKARNESS (Berkshire, Newbury)Will Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh be allowed to communicate with their legal advisers?
§ MR. MORLEYI presume so.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDCannot the right hon. Gentleman see his way to have these prisoners detained in some place not so great a distance away from their friends?
§ MR. MORLEYI am afraid the effect of so doing would be to impair the effect of the precautionary measures.