§ 12. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India the amount and extent of the failure of the crops in 6 the Bombay Presidency due to locusts and failure of rain; and what preventive measures the Government has taken, and proposes to take, to deal with these recurring visitations or to meet the privation and suffering caused to those whose crops have suffered?
§ Earl WINTERTONMy Noble Friend has not received any detailed information on the matter referred to in the first part of the question beyond what has appeared in the Press. The measures to be taken for the relief of distress when scarcity has been declared are prescribed in great detail in the Bombay Famine Relief Code.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIf the report does come to hand, will the Noble Lord inform the House?
§ Earl WINTERTONYes, Sir, if the hon. Gentleman will put down a further question, but I think he can rest assured that, if this scarcity does exist, the Government of Bombay will take all steps to deal with it.
§ Mr. HARRISIs it not the business of the Government of India to give the Department here detailed information as to what is going on, instead of leaving the Minister to get his information from the Press?
§ Earl WINTERTONI am afraid that the hon. Gentleman has not quite grasped that it is not the Government of India but the Government of Bombay which is concerned. It is the business of local governments to deal with any question of this kind.