MR. GORSTasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the Government of India has appointed, or is about to appoint, a Commission to inquire into the suitability of the provisions of the Bengal Tenancy Bill to the various local requirements of Bengal and Behar; and, if so, whether it is true that that Commission will consist of three officials pledged to the policy of the Bill, together with one non-official nominally to represent the zemindars, who has notoriously opposed the views of the zemindars in recent discussions?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSI can only give the same answer to this Question as that which I gave the hon. Member for Guildford (Mr. Onslow) last Monday, that the Secretary of State is not aware of any intention on the part of the Government of India to appoint a Commission of the nature suggested.
MR. GORSTasked whether the hon. Gentleman would say whether the Secretary of State would make inquiries?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSsaid, that if the hon. and learned Member would give him reasons to suppose it was desirable to inquire into the matter, he could an- 282 swer on behalf of the Secretary of State that he would do so.
§ SIR GEOEGE CAMPBELLalso asked if it was not the case that two Commissions before this Bill was brought in had not inquired into the reports, and whether this was not the second year that the proceedings had been delayed in consequence of the departure of the Government to Simla?
§ MR. J. K. CROSS, in reply, said, that no doubt there had been some considerable delay, but it did not arise from the cause named by the hon. Member.