§ MR. TORRENSsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether there is any truth in the statements which have been published in various Newspapers, of a deficiency in the yield of Opium for the season; and if so, whether it is likely that any loss will ensue in the Revenue in India; and whether any representation of grievances has been made to the local Government by Ryots in different Zillahs in Bengal, who receive advances from the Government there, to enable them to cultivate the Poppy plant; if so, will he describe generally what are the grievances complained of, and whether the Governor General or the Lieutenant Governor has appointed a Commission to inquire into them?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, he had received no official information upon any of the points to which the hon. Member had directed attention. He had reason to believe that there had been some failure in the opium crop, but it by no means followed that there would be a loss of Revenue, because the sale of a smaller quantity at a higher price might produce as good a Revenue as that of a larger quantity at a lower rate.