§ MR. BRADLAUGHI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether lie is aware that, owing to the deficiency of rain in October to December 1889 in Southern India, the collectors and other revenue officials in the southern districts of the Presidency of Madras who were absent on leave from their stations and during the Christmas holidays were, at the end of December last, recalled by the Government of Madras to their respective headquarters, to inspect personally and to report at once upon the present state of the crops in their respective districts, and what the outcome of the failure of the rains is likely to be; whether such Reports have been received by the Madras Government; and whether the Secretary of State will lay them upon the Table?
SIR J. GORSTThe statement in the first paragraph of the hon. Member's question is correct as regards eight districts to the south of Madras, in which up to the last week in December the rainfall of the North East Monsoon had been deficient. During the last week of December, however, there was good rain over the threatened districts; matters have changed for the better, and prospects are reported generally fair. The detailed Reports by the district officers have not yet been received by the Secretary of State.