§ MR. ADAMsaid, he would also beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether, considering the great importance of our obtaining a better insight into the feelings of the Natives of India, and better information as to their opinions, he will not recommend each of the Governments in India to appoint an officer whose duty it shall be to translate and report to Governments in India to appoint an officer whose duty it shall be to translate and report to Government all matters of public interest discussed in the Native Press; and whether such an officer has not been already appointed in Bengal, whose labours have proved most useful?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, in reply, that an officer had been employed in Bengal for the purposes decribed in the hon. Gentleman's Question. That officer was employed to collect and translate what seemed to be of interest in the Native papers of India, and he had no hesitation in saying that considerable advantage had been derived from the means thus acquired of becoming acquainted with the feelings and opinions of the Native population. He was not quite sure that this was sufficient to warrant him in giving orders that it should be done elsewhere, but he had no doubt the other Governments of India had their eyes upon the subject, and they would find—as he had no doubt they would—that it would be advantageous to pursue the same principle in Madras and Bombay.