§ MR. BURTasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the Natives' complaints of the unusual stringency with which the Salt Preventive Establishment, Madras, has worked the Salt Laws during the past three years will be heard; whether it is true that 15,004 Natives were arrested in the official year ending 31st March 1883, for eating untaxed salt, and taken to distant courts for trial; and, whether, at this moment, the tax on salt in Madras is double what it was in the East India Company's day?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSAny complaint which maybe received on the subject of 427 the hon. Member's Question will be carefully considered. During the year 1882–3 15,004 persons were accused of dealing in, or being in possession of, illicit salt to the extent of 10,000 tons. Of these persons, 48 per cent were dismissed by the Salt Department with a warning, and 7,836, or 52 per cent, were sent for trial before the nearest magistrate, of whom 93 per cent were convicted. To the last clause of the Question my answer is, Yes.