HC Deb 21 July 1893 vol 15 cc201-2
MR. CAINE () Bradford, E.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India if the attention of the Secretary of State has been called to a Memorial from 1,122 fishermen in South Canara, in the Madras Presidency, addressed to the Viceroy in Council, praying his Excellency to direct the Madras Government to remove the restrictions now existing in South Canara against the use of salt earth for the preservation of their fish, a privilege removed from them in 1878, but previously enjoyed for generations past; if this Memorial was sent to the Viceroy in October 1892, and that so far no notice whatever has been taken of it either by him or the Madras Government; and if it is true, as stated in the Memorial, that the Petitioners are too poor to buy manufactured salt, that the fishing trade in the district is dwindling away, and that large quantities of fish are thrown away which otherwise would become wholesome food; that the Salt Revenue has not increased in the district in consequence of this restriction; that no such restriction prevails in any other Presidency; that there is no other occupation in the district to which these fishermen may turn; and that numbers of them have migrated into Bombay and other large cities to find ill-paid employment; and, if so, will the Secretary of State order an impartial inquiry into the grievances of these poor fishermen?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. G. RUSSELL,) North Beds.

I presume that the Memorial in question is the one as to which I informed my hon. Friend, in answer to a question on the 8th May, that the Secretary of State had no information, but that be would cause inquiries to be made. Despatches on the subject were addressed to the Governors of Bombay and Madras, and I am afraid I shall not be able to answer the questions as to the Memorial until their replies shall have been received. But I would take this opportunity of saying that the information at present in the possession of the Secretary of State does not bear out the allegations from the Memorial enumerated in the last paragraph of my hon. Friend's question.