Roads, North-Western Frontier.

Oral Answers to Questions — India. – in the House of Commons am ar 12 Mai 1924.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Lieut-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury Lieut-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury , Wolverhampton Bilston

3.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the repeated murders that have taken place on the North-Western frontier of India, and of the satisfactory results that have occurred from the making of a good motor road joining the Tochi valley with the Takki Zam and the establishment of a cantonment at Razmak, he will see his way to run a road through Tirah from Thai to some point on the Peshawar-Landikotal road via Khanki-Bazar and the Bara River valley and to establish a permanent cantonment at Khanki-Bazar as has already been done at Razmak?

Photo of Mr Robert Richards Mr Robert Richards , Wrecsam

I appreciate the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion, but there is no necessity for the construction of the road through Tirah, where the conditions that prevail are quite different from those prevailing in Waziristan, and permit of control over the tribes in this region being exercised from British territory.

Photo of Lieut-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury Lieut-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury , Wolverhampton Bilston

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is no more civilising influence than the making of roads in tribal countries, and that if he wants to avoid these murders in the future, this is the only way to do it?

Photo of Mr Robert Richards Mr Robert Richards , Wrecsam

That may be, but the position in the two cases is not analogous.