§ MR. CAINE (Bradford, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India if his attention has been called to a statement by Mr. Henry Varley, in The Methodist Times of 6th April, in which he states that he has visited some of the opium dens in the City of Bombay, and that in one were at least 130 men and a few women, and in a second about 90, and in a third about 40 men; and if he is aware that by a Resolution of the Government of India, No. 4033, 25th September, 1891, an Order was made, closing every opium smoking den in India, and if the Secretary of State will take whatever action is necessary to secure the enforcement of this Resolution throughout British India?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. GEORGE RUSSELL,) North Beds.Yes, Sir; the Secretary of State for India has seen the statement referred to by my hon. Friend. The Orders of the 25th September, 1891, directed that in any future opium licence the vendor should be prohibited from permitting the consumption of opium on his premises in any form. The Secretary of State has asked the 1126 Government of India to consider whether the law should not be strengthened, so as to enable legal steps to be taken for suppressing private opium saloons.
§ MR. CAINEIs not an Order of the Viceroy in Council itself sufficient? Is it not operative as part of the law of India?
§ MR. GEORGE RUSSELLWe are advised it is expedient to amend the law of India in order to secure the carrying out of the intentions of the Government.