§ Mr. GWYNNEasked the Secretary of State for India whether General Dyer's military superiors in India asked the Government of India for leave to hold an immediate inquiry into the Amritsar affair shortly after the occurrence; if so, whether this request was refused; and, if so, why?
§ Mr. MONTAGU:To the best of my belief no such request was made.
Mr. GWYNNE asked the Secretary of State for India at what date he decided to appoint the Hunter Commission?
§ Mr. MONTAGU:I stated in the House of Commons on the 22nd May, 1919, that there would be an inquiry.
Mr. SWAN asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Viceroy of India visited the Punjab during the disturbances of April, 1919; whether he has since visited the Punjab; and, if so, how long he spent there?
§ Mr. MONTAGU:The Viceroy was in Residence at Simla in the Punjab from the 8th April to the 19th October last year, with a break of 12 days in July. 453W He visited four States in the Punjab during the latter part of October. He has been in residence at Simla since the 20th April this year.
§ Mr. GWYNNEasked the Secretary of State for India how many persons, and in what provinces, respectively, were convicted in connection with the disturbances in March and April, 1919; and how many of those convicted were released before the expiration of their sentences?
§ Mr. MONTAGU:Particulars for the Punjab are given by the Hunter Committee on page 65 of the Report. After the alterations referred to in the last sentence of paragraph 5 on that page, only 74 persons remain imprisoned. In Delhi it appears from the evidence produced before the Committee that 21 persons were convicted. Of these, nine have been released and the sentences of two have been reduced. In Bombay City, Ahmedabad, and Vinamgram 148 were convicted. Here I have no details of releases, but all the 42 sentenced in Bombay had very short sentences.