§ Mr. T. WILLIAMS(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for India, if he can state on whose authority a 1649 cable addressed to myself and handed in to the Post Office at Bombay on 7th January by Miss Slade was returned and the money refunded, and, further, are we to understand that correspondence or cables addressed to British Members of Parliament are being censored in India?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Sir Samuel Hoare)As to the first part of the question, inquiries have already been made in accordance with an undertaking which I gave the hon. Member privately and the reply is awaited. Among other things I hope to learn whether it was apparent from the text of the telegram as handed in that the person to whom it was addressed was a Member of Parliament. In exercising lawful control over postal or telegraphic correspondence, the authorities in India would naturally, and in my opinion properly, pay regard primarily to the contents of such correspondence rather than to the status of the person to whom it is addressed.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSAm I to understand from the reply that the cable referred to merely contained a truthful recital of recent incidents in India and that the right hon. Gentleman agrees that such a censorship ought to be exercised in India?
§ Sir S. HOAREI could not agree to the assumption that the hon. Member has made. I have not yet seen officially a copy of this cablegram and until I see it officially I cannot express judgment upon it.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSDoes not the right hon. Gentleman regard it as fatuous to attempt to censor a cable when the air mail and other means of communication are at the disposal of anyone who desires to transmit a message; and, as I have a copy of the cable here, he will see the futility of such a censorship.
§ Sir S. HOARENo, I must await the report of the Government of India, for which I have asked, before I express an opinion. I have told the hon. Member that I would inquire, and I am making inquiries, and I will let him know the answer as soon as I receive it.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODThe right hon. Gentleman must realise that the issue is far more important than whether the telegram 1650 contained treasonable matter. A communication addressed to an hon. Member of this House has been stopped —[Interruption.] May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether it is not the case that the privilege of an hon. Member of this House is being interfered with by the Government of India; and whether it is the right of every hon. Member of this House to be addressed by any British subject?
§ Sir S. HOAREI have already told the House that I do not know how the telegrame was addressed and until I receive the details, obviously, I cannot give any judgment.
§ Mr. MAXTONBut the right hon. Gentleman said something more than that; he said that he was concerned with the contents of the telegram and not with the status of the person to whom it was addressed. I want to ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether it is not the right of every Member of this Parliament to have his correspondence from any part of the British Empire absolutely untampered with in any circumstances.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI should be loth to give a general Ruling, on a case of which I do not know the details.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIf a further question is submitted to the Secretary of State for India later on in the day will he be willing to reply to it?
§ Sir S. HOAREYes, I will let the hon. Member know when I receive the reply from the Government of India.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODSurely it is our privilege, under your protection Mr. Speaker, that our letters and telegrams are not interfered with.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have already replied to that question.