§ MR. HOPWOODasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether, in respect of the retention by the Bombay Government, out of the annual subsidy due to the municipality, of a large sum to administer the Contagious Diseases Acts against the will of the justices of the city, the noble Lord the then Secretary for India conveyed to the Bombay Government his opinion, concurring with that of the Government of India, "that the Government of Bombay should withdraw their orders, and refund the corporation the sums retained;" whether the same Secretary, by despatch, dated Oct. 26, 1882, gave permission to the Viceroy and Government of India at their request to pass an Act to suspend the Contagious Diseases Act (India), No. XIV., 1868; whether the Act has been accordingly suspended by any and what law; whether the position taken up in either of the above cases has been reversed by the present Secretary of State for India, and, whether, since the Vote of this House in the last Session on the subject of the English Acts, any further correspondence had taken place on the subject with the Indian Government?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSSir, I must refer my hon. Friend to the Return on this subject presented to Parliament last Session. No further Correspondence regarding it has passed between the Secretary of State and the Government of either India or Bombay, since Lord Kimberley's despatches of the 3rd of May, 1883, printed at page 81 of the Return, nor has any law been passed to suspend the Contagious Diseases Act.