§ MR. S. SMITH (Flintshire)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether he can state the number of opium shops which are licensed by the Government in India, and whether they amount to more than 10,000; (2) whether his attention has been drawn to a statement that the consumption of opium in Lucknow has increased from 36,240 tolas in 1883–4 to 64,320 tolas in 1887–8, and whether he has reason to believe that this statement is correct; (3) whether he can state if the consumption of opium in India is increasing generally; (4) whether his attention has been drawn to a meeting called by the Chinese Authorities at Singapore to petition Parliament to put a stop to the opium trade on account of its injurious tendency; (5) whether he is aware that nearly half the revenue of Singapore is derived from the opium traffic; and (6) whether, seeing that in Great Britain it is unlawful to sell opium except by a duly qualified and registered druggist under stringent regulations and labelled poison, Her Majesty's Government will take into consideration the expediency of adopting similar provisions with regard to its sale in India?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSON(1) 10,417. (2) The attention of the Secretary of State has not been drawn to the statement referred to, but the consumption in Lucknow has increased in the proportion stated. (3) The consumption is slowly increasing. (4 and 5) Are matters for the Colonial Office. (6) The Secretary of State is not prepared to adopt such a provision.