§ MR. CARBUTTasked the Under Secretary of State for India, If it is true that only 373 miles of Railway have been constructed in India during the last year against 726 miles in 1881–2, and 836 miles in 1880–81; and, if he can state the reason why the Railway development of India has been so retarded?
§ MR. O'DONNELLasked whether it was true that the opposition to the extension of Railways in India for some time back was due to the distrust enter- 862 tained by the Natives of the promotion of the Railway Company; whether some of the opponents of the guaranteed Railway in Hyderabad were not removed forcibly from Hyderabad territory with the consent of the British authorities; and, whether the guaranteed Railway referred to in the Question was not being hawked in London under the auspices of a member of the Supreme Council of India?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSSir, the only point I wish to notice with regard to those Questions is the last one—the aspersion cast upon the members of the Supreme Council of India. No member of the Council of India has anything whatever to do with the Hyderabad Railway. As to the other Questions, I must ask for Notice of them. In reply to my hon. Friend (Mr. Car-butt), if by "constructed" he means "completed and open for traffic," his figures are quite accurate. But, for purposes of comparison, the number of miles under construction should be added. The result for the three years is thus:—1880–1, 836 completed, 856 under construction; total, 1,692 miles; 1881–2, 726 completed, 2,026 under construction; total, 2,752 miles; 1882–3, 373 completed, 2,338 under construction; total, 2,611 miles. From these figures it does not appear that the railway development of India has been practically retarded.
§ MR. O'DONNELLIs not the late Finance Minister of Bengal a member of the Supreme Council, and is it he or his brother who is promoting the railway?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSThe gentleman referred to by the hon. Member, who was recently a member of the Governor General's Council, is not a member of the Council of India.