HC Deb 26 May 1891 vol 353 cc1072-3
DR. CAMERON (Glasgow, College)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the statement contained in a Rangoon telegram published in yesterday's Times to the effect that The application by the Ruby Mines Company for a remission of the rent of the mines is now under the consideration of the Government of India; whether any change in the position of the mines has occurred since his statement on the 21st of July last, that The Secretary of State was not aware of any ground on which the rent of the Ruby Mines could justly be remitted; and whether he will undertake that no remission of this portion of the Indian Revenue shall be made without previous intimation to this House?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST,) Chatham

In reply to the first paragraph of the question of the hon. Member, I have to say that the attention of the Secretary of State has been called to the statement contained in a Rangoon telegram which appeared in yesterday's Times, to the effect that an application by the Ruby Mines Company for a remission of the rent of the mines is now under the consideration of the Government of India. In answer to the second paragraph, I have to say that no change in the position of the mines has occurred since the statement of the Secretary of State on the 21st of July last, that he was not aware of any ground on which the rent of the Ruby Mines could justly be remitted. The Secretary of State in reply to the third paragraph is not prepared to give a pledge that no remission of this portion of the Indian Revenue will be made without previous intimation to Parliament.