§ MR. RITCHIEasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether he has any objection to laying upon the Table a statement of the terms upon which the undertaking of the Madras Irrigation Company has recently been purchased by the Government, and also if the purchase will require the sanction of Parliament?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONThe terms upon which it is proposed to purchase the undertaking of the Madras Irrigation Company were contained in a letter from the Under Secretary of the India Office to Mr. Bouverie, the Chairman of the Company. There will be no objection to lay that letter on the Table, and placing the House in possession of the proposed terms. Proceedings are in progress in the Courts of Law for the purpose of winding up the Company; and it is hoped that those proceedings will result in the adoption of the terms contained in the letter which I have mentioned; but it is not yet known whether it will be necessary to obtain powers from Parliament or not.