HC Deb 20 April 1911 vol 24 cc1021-2
Mr. RUPERT GWYNNE

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the assassination of Mr. Mainwaring, assistant superintendent of police, at Alutgama, Ceylon, by a native police constable, Pens Singho, who shot him with a carbine; whether the native military police in Ceylon have free access to ammunition; and, if so, in view of this recent occurrence, whether he will consider the desirability of placing it in charge of the station-house officer or some other responsible official?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)

Yes, Sir; my attention has been drawn to this unfortunate occurrence. I understand that the ammunition in the Alutgama Police Station is kept in a strong-box, under lock and key, but that on the day of the murder the strong-box had been left open for the purposes of the inspection on which Mr. Mainwaring was engaged when he was shot.