§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the increasingly serious reports with regard to impending famine in the North-West Provinces, Rajputana, and other districts in India, he will give the House the most recent information on the subject, and will state what steps the Government of India has taken to meet the distress and danger that may arise?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,(for Sir J. GORST) Manchester, N.E.)My right hon. Friend, in whose absence I answer the question, says—I have with me the latest telegrams about the crop and famine prospects. They are dated the 24th of July, and as they appeared in Saturday's newspapers, I do not know that it is necessary to read them. A further telegram is expected to-morrow; and thereafter weekly telegrams will be sent every Friday as long as cause for anxiety continues. The telegrams will be sent to the newspapers. As regards the preparations for dealing with famine, the Secretary of State is in telegraphic communication with the Viceroy, whom he has urged to take without delay every necessary precaution for the relief of distress, and from whom he has heard that adequate arrangements have been made for all contingencies anticipated. In all the threatened British provinces famine Codes have been issued, and plans have been drawn up for dealing with distress caused by famine. Funds are available for meeting the cost of relief; and in 397 any district where relief operations are necessary, they will be begun on the scheme laid down in the Famine Codes. In two districts of Madras considerable relief operations have been going on for some months.