§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether the attention of the Secretary of State for India has been directed to the telegram in Monday's Times, from the special correspondent in Calcutta, that the reports from all the districts threatened with famine, except Rajputana, are to the effect that the prospects are unchanged, and distress is slowly increasing; would the Under Secretary for India state to the House the result of any communications between the Secretary of State and the Viceroy on the subject; and when will he lay upon the Table the various despatches of the Viceroy, which he promised last Thursday would be submitted to the House at an early date?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. CURZON,) Lancashire, SouthportThe Secretary of State has seen the telegram referred to. I explained on Thursday, on the Motion for the Adjournment, that no improvement could be looked for till the rains in June, and that the Government of India had made the necessary arrangements for relieving distress. The Secretary of State has received no information of a later date than that given on Thursday. The periodical telegrams received from India are communicated to the newspapers as soon as received. The despatch from the Government of India, promised on Thursday, will be laid on the Table at once.