§ MR. SMEATONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether one important cause of the rising of the Mohmands is the projected railway across the old frontier up to the Afghan border; whether, in spite of the opposition of the tribes, and also of the Amir, to this railway, it is intended still to continue making the line; and whether, seeing that the Amir clearly indicated to the late Viceroy his dislike of so-called peaceful penetration by railway, he will consider the advisability of abandoning this project, which can at the best be of little use and must always be a cause of irritation.
§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSEThere is no reason to suppose that the railway surveys recently carried out in British territory on the right bank of the Kabul River, outside the limits of the country inhabited by the Mohmands, have been a cause of the tribal rising. As regards the present position of the railway project and the attitude of the tribes and the Amir towards it, I would refer my hon. friend to the full statement on the subject made on 6th February last in reply to a Question from my right hon. friend the Member for the Forest of Dean.
§ *SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)Is it not the case that in that reply it was admitted that the 1239 survey was carried on under fire from the Mohmands?
§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSEI cannot admit that. The Answer was that some firing took place.
§ MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)Is it not the case that there is almost always some firing taking place in these regions?
§ MR. LUPTON (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)Is it advisable thus to continue irritating these mountain tribes?
§ MR. SMEATONHas not the Amir protested more than once against the approach of the railway to his frontier?
§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSENot so far as I am aware.
§ *SIR CHARLES DILKEWe are in rather a difficult position, because my hon. friend is not now officially connected with India, although he has been, and indeed has just returned from that country. Is it not the case that it has already been decided not to make this railway, the survey for which seems to have caused the firing?
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe circumstance to which the right hon. Baronet has alluded seems to point to the desirability of giving notice of the Question.