§ MR. O'DONNELLasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether during the acting Governorship of Mr. W. Hudleston in 1881, the Government of Madras passed a Resolution that relations of "Members of Council" should not hold land; whether this prohibition applied to land within the Madras Presidency only; whether this order received the sanction of the Viceroy and also of the Secretary of State; and, what was the date of the Resolution?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSThere is no knowledge at the India Office on the subject, and I cannot find that any such Resolution has been passed.
§ MB. O'DONNELLMay I ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether he will make inquiries on the point?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSIf the hon. Member will make some definite statement, I will inquire into the truth of it; but I may take this opportunity of saying that it is not desirable that we should be sending telegrams to India, which would be charged to the Government of that country, without some very good reason for so doing. I should not like to do so without the authority of the House.