20. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he is aware that the Child's Geography, by M. J. Barrington Ward, M.A., published by Bell and Sons, is used as a text-book for Standard III. in the Victoria Bridge school, in Singapore; whether he is aware that on pages 50 and 51 of this book it is stated that the false religion known as Mahomedan was founded by Mahomed, a native of Arabia, who called himself the prophet of the true God; whether he is aware that the pupils at this school are largely Mahomedan; and whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter?
Mr. HARCOURTThe answer to the first three parts of the question is in the negative, though I presume that, as the pupils are to a large extent Malay boys, many of them profess the Mahomedan religion. A copy of my hon. Friend's question will be sent to the Governor for his consideration. If the facts are as alleged I do not think the book a suitable one for such use.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTIs the attitude of the Colonial Education Department due to the fact that Mahomed was not of pure European descent?