7. Duchess of ATHOLLasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any reply has been given by the Government of India to the two memorials of protest against retrocession of the civil station of Bangalore to Mysore submitted by a joint committee of the British and Anglo-Indian residents in the civil station; and if these residents will be consulted before any decision is taken?
§ Mr. BUTLERI have no information as to what reply, if any, has been made by the Government of India to the representations referred to by the Noble Lady. A deputation from the Bangalore Municipal Commission was in March last informed by the Resident at Mysore that the commission would be given the fullest opportunity to submit their views and recommendations before any detailed proposals for giving effect to any decision in favour of partial retrocession of the assigned area were submitted by the Resident to the Government of India.
Duchess of ATHOLLIs it possible to represent to the Government of India the desirability of holding some consultation 535 with the memorialists, who have sent in some very cogent and weighty reasons against their transfer to Mysore?
§ Mr. BUTLERFrom the information in my possession it appears to me that the associations can have no claim to speak on behalf of the residents as a whole, as they represent only a small section of the population affected.
§ Mr. A. A. SOMERVILLEHas the hon. Gentleman any information respecting the petition sent in by the Moslems of the civil station at Bangalore against their retrocession?
8. Duchess of ATHOLLasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any proposals are now being considered for new cantonments outside the civil and military station at Bangalore; and, if so, is the locality under consideration as suitable from the climatic point of view for British troops as the present cantonments?
§ Mr. BUTLERNo such proposals have been brought to the notice of my Noble Friend.