MR. DANBY SEYMOURsaid, that in begging to put four questions to the right hon. Baronet the President of the Board of Control, which stood in his name on the paper, he must observe, with respect to the last, that great dissatisfaction had been expressed at the lateness of the Session when the Indian Budget was brought on. He would now ask whether Mr. Marshman, the editor of the Friend of India, now held the office of Bengalee interpreter to the Government, and whether he had a paper contract from the Government? Also, why Mr. Marshman was allowed an access to public documents which is refused to other newspaper editors in Calcutta? And also, at what period of the Session the President of the Board of Contol proposed to bring in his Indian Budget this year?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, with regard to the first three questions, which related to the state of things in Calcutta, he was unable to give any answer without reference to Calcutta. He did not know whether Mr. Marshman was interpreter to the Government, whether he had a paper contract with the Government, or whether he was allowed access to public documents which was refused to other editors. With regard to the last question, the papers upon which the statement was made were laid before Parliament, according to the Act, some time in the month of May. He should have been perfectly ready last year to make that statement at a much earlier time, but it was deferred, partly on account of public business, and partly that he might announce to the House the termination of financial operations then going on in India. As regarded the present year, he should be ready to make the statement on the earliest possible day after the papers were in the hands of Members and the state of public business would allow.