MR. BEADLAUGHI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether the Secretary of State has received a Despatch from the Government of India on the Chittagong and Assam Railway scheme, recommending the granting of a concession of land and mining rights to a syndicate, such concession granting 10 square miles of land for every mile of railway constructed; whether he will lay a Copy of the Despatch in question, and all Papers connected with the subject, upon the Table of the House; and, whether, before any binding engagements in connection with the proposed new policy are entered into, the House will be afforded an opportunity of discussing the subject?
* SIR J. GOESTThe Despatch has been received very recently; and the Secretary of State is unable at present to make any statement on the subject.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHDoes the hon. Gentleman mean that there has been a new departure of policy in reference 714 to Indian Railways, and that huge tracts of land are to be handed over to concessionaires in future without any expression of opinion on the part of this House?
§ [No answer was returned.]