§ 12. Mr. KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for India what steps have been or will be undertaken by the Government of India to redeem the pledge given in the Imperial Legislative Council on the 5th of March last that the Government, besides considering the opinions of the three architectural experts appointed by the India Office, will take the best available advice with regard to all architectural questions and all local conditions affecting them, and fully consider them 1040 before any final decision with regard to the building of the New Delhi is arrived at?
§ Mr. MONTAGUIt is for the Government of India to settle for themselves how they should obtain the best available advice.
§ 13. Mr. KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India, as at present advised, have decided that Indian craftsmen can only be employed as decorators in the building of the New Delhi; and, if so, whether the Secretary of State will advise the Government of India that this separation of the functions of building and decoration, which does not obtain in Indian architectural practice, is calculated to be ruinous to Indian craftsmanship?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Secretary of State is not aware that the Government of India have come to any such decision as is mentioned in the question.
§ 14. Mr. KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Secretary of State will instruct the architects appointed by him for the design and construction of the New Delhi to make the fullest possible use of the constructive ability of Indian builders in the light of the new information with regard to their capacity given in the Report on Modern Indian Architecture, recently published by the Government of India?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Delhi Committee and the selected architects will be in possession of the Report, and they will no doubt carefully consider the question of utilising as far as possible the services of Indian craftsmen in the building of the new capital. The Secretary of State does not think it necessary to issue instructions on a matter which has already engaged the sympathetic attention of the Government of India, and he would point out generally with regard to my hon. Friend's questions on this subject that the detailed control of the building of New Delhi has been entrusted to the Government of India.
§ 15. Mr. KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Report on Modern Indian Architecture, recently published by the Government of India, is to be considered a final one, or whether, in view of the statistics obtained in the partial and local survey of the Indian building craft already made, the 1041 Secretary of State will advise the Government of India to institute full investigations in every province, so that each local Government may be in possession of accurate information with regard to the possibilities of utilising the services of Indian craftsmen in official building operations?
§ Mr. MONTAGUUnder the instructions already given the officers of the Archæological Department will continue to report on modern buildings met with in the course of their tours.
§ Mr. KINGWill an attempt be made to cover the whole field of India, and not, as has been done, up to the present, merely to select various provinces or districts for the Report?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe officers of the Archæological Department make very wide tours, and it is very doubtful if any important buildings escape their attention.