§ 1. Mr. DAYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can make any further statement with regard to the situation in Bombay; whether the hospital returns of the injured are now available; and can he give these returns?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Earl Winterton)I am happy to say that the situation in Bombay is now, and has for some days, been normal. The hospital returns of injured are:
Pathans … 83 Other Mohammedans … 186 Hindus … 462 Indian Christians … 11 Parsi … 1 Total … 743
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs there to be a definite inquiry or not?
§ Earl WINTERTONI do not know. That is a matter for the Bombay Government.
§ 2. Mr. DAYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has any statistics that will show the number of Pathans who reside in British India and the number who reside in Bombay, as at the last convenient date?
§ Earl WINTERTONNo, Sir. As I explained in answer to a somewhat similar question last Monday, the Pathan population in British India—by which I take it is meant Moslem natives of Afghanistan and the North-West Frontier Province—is a floating population, very few, if any, of whom remain away from their home districts throughout the year.
§ Earl WINTERTONNo, Sir. There is no reason why there should be statistics. The case is exactly similar to that of people from the North of England, Scotland, or Palestine or anywhere else coming to London. "Pathan" is a generic term applied rather loosely to natives of Northern India. There is no more reason why there should be a return of such people in Bombay than, for example, a return of Scotsmen or Jews in London, or any other place.
§ Earl WINTERTONI think the hon. Gentleman will realise why I cannot possibly answer that question. The majority of them are British Indian subjects, and they travel about the country in the same way as people travel about in this country.