§ MR. POTTERasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether, having regard to the effect which has been produced in India by the possibly exaggerated reports prevalent there as to the mortality caused by the recent famine, he will lay upon the Table of the House such Returns or Estimates of mortality as may be now in the possession of the Government; and, whether it be true, as stated in the Indian papers, that the instructions from the Home Government virtually prohibit inquiry by the Famine Commission into the extent of the mortality and into the land revenue system?
§ MR. E. STANHOPEI stated a short time ago that I might run the risk of misleading the House by quoting the partial Returns which we had received. But I can assure the hon. Member that we do not desire to keep back any information we possess, and as soon as we receive the Returns which the Government of India has collected, they shall be laid upon the Table. The Instructions from the Home Government were presented to Parliament on the 21st of January last. After indicating various points as to which inquiry was desirable, and cautioning the Commission against being led away from its main objects by making too minute an investigation of others, the Despatch concludes—
I have indicated the principal matters in respect to which the proposed Commission may gather facts and make recommendations which will assist the Government in devising measures to protect the people from the calamities following upon excessive drought. But nothing that I have written must be held to preclude them from pursuing any inquiries which, in their judgment, are calculated to attain this object.