§ SIR H. COTTON (Nottingham, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, having regard to the unsettled condition of Eastern Bengal, manifested by disturbances in Tipperah, Mymensingh, Pubna, Backergunge, and other places, which are all attributable to and connected with the opposition of the people to the separation of their province from Bengal, to the increase in police and gaol expenditure occasioned thereby, and to the necessity of falling back on the old and forgotton tradition of appointing military officers as civil superintendents of police, to the growing and dangerous alienation between local officials and the people, due directly to the same cause, and to the ill-feeling between Mahomedans and Hindus, of which there was no trace in former times, also due to the same cause, he will take into his consideration the advisability of appointing a Commission, representative of all parties interested, to inquire into and submit a scheme for modifying the partition of Bengal, with special reference to the appointment of a Governor and Council for Bengal, in accordance with the intention of the Statute of 1853 (16 and 17 Vic., c. 95), and the delegation to certain local authorities of powers corresponding to those which, under the Indian Act V., of 1868, obtain in Scinde, as was suggested by his predecessor in office.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. MORLEY,) Montrose BurghsI have nothing to add to what I have already said on this subject, but I must not be understood to admit the existence of a connection as of cause and effect between the various sets of facts alleged by my hon. friend. As for appointing a Commission, I am of opinion that the 408 question is one that can only be settled by His Majesty's Government on their own responsibility.
§ SIR H. COTTONDo I understand that the right hon. Gentleman holds out no hope of reconsidering this question?
§ MR. MORLEYI think I had better adhere to the language I have always used on this subject.
§ SIR H. COTTONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he recalls the assurance of the Prime Minister that, if new facts were brought to light, the' Government would be in a position to reconsider the matter, and whether the facts stated in my Question are not new within the meaning of that assurance?
§ MR. MORLEYIf new facts are brought to my notice I will consider them, but the facts cited by the hon. Member do not seem to me to come under that description.
§ SIR H. COTTONgave notice that on an early date he would call attention to the grievous evils which had resulted in India from the partition of Bengal, and move a Resolution.