HC Deb 12 May 1919 vol 115 cc1316-8
19. Colonel YATE

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that in the mail steamer lately arrived from India, sick British ladies and children were put in the third-class quarters down below, and that first-class cabins were given to certain deputations of Indians coming to England to agitate on the sub- ject of the proposed Indian reform scheme, and that two of the children died on the voyage; and, considering the danger to life of sick Europeans in the heat of the Red Sea in the hold of a ship at this season of the year, he will instruct the Gov-season of the year, he will instruct the Gov-to provide proper passenger accommodation for sick ladies and children before granting priority certificates to men in good health?

Mr. MONTAGU

The reference presumably is to the s.s. "Ormonde." Among the 347 first-class passengers, there were only six Indians. There were 607 second and third-class passengers. I am informed that the third-class accommodation on the vessel was exceptionally good, and special efforts were made by the company to secure the comfort of the passengers. The company undertook that they should have the same mess and the use of the same deck as the second-class passengers, and their cabins were fitted with electric fans. I regret that two children should have died on the voyage from pneumonia.

Colonel YATE

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the third-class saloon was a perfect furnace and pandemonium, and that the second-class had more passengers than the first and was only a quarter or one-fifth the size of the first, and that there was great discomfort and trouble?

Mr. MONTAGU

I regret there must have been very considerable discomfort on a very full steamer, but I do not know what my hon. Friend has in mind. Third-class passengers, I am afraid, will not pay the price for accommodation as first-class passengers.

Colonel YATE

It is not a question of paying the price, but of getting home to save their lives, and here are Indian agitators in first-class cabins while poor men and women and children are trying to get home and cannot?

Mr. MONTAGU

There were passengers who were well in all three classes. We have been making every kind of effort to get sufficient accommodation for the people who want to travel backwards and forwards from India, and I am given to understand that the Government of India is satisfied with the amount of accommodation available.

Colonel YATE

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that A passages are only given for cases of urgency, B passages for less urgent cases, and C for lesser urgent cases still, and here are first-class passages given to Indian agitators when there were women and children in the third-class quarters down below?

Mr. MONTAGU

What my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind is that he does not regard the passage of Indian constitutional reforms through this House as urgently as I do.