§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been called to a letter from the Chinese Grand Secretary Li, in the "Times" of July 29th, stating—
That the single aim of his Government in taxing opium is to repress the traffic. Never the desire to gain revenue from such a source;and, whether the Indian Government is taking any steps thoroughly to review our position with regard to the opium revenue, according to the promise of the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for India?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI have seen the letter referred to from the Chinese Grand Secretary Li in the papers, and I must say that a great many statements and arguments contained in that letter appear to me to be open to very great question. It is impossible for me to reply to those statements in the course of an answer to a Question, and I am sure that my hon. Friend would not wish me to do so. In reply to the latter part of the Question, I have to state that a despatch has been sent to the Government of India on the subject of the opium revenue, which I think contains all the instructions necessary in support of the statement which I made during the course of a debate here two months ago.