§ SIR ANDREW SCOBLEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether it is intended to constitute a Lieutenant Governorship for the province of Burmah, and to establish Legislative 294 Councils in the Panjab and Buramah; and whether he is able to give the House any information as to the constitution and powers of those Councils?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONIt has been decided that local Legislative Councils shall be established both for Punjab and for Burmah, and as soon as the formal proclamations have issued the Chief Commissioner of the latter province will be appointed to be a Lieutenant Governor. There will be nine members of council for each Legislature—four of whom will be non-officials. For the present they will all be nominated. The powers to be given to these councils will be gradually extended, as we gain experience of their working; but it is not proposed in the first instance to give them the larger powers which, under the Act of 1892 may be conferred by rule or regulation.