§ MR. ARTHUR PEASE (Darlington)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Government has any information as to the progress made by the Government of India in arranging that the Behar Opium Agency should deal directly with the cultivators of opium instead of dealing through middlemen?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe subject to which the hon. Member refers has not been lost sight of by the Government of India, but I have received no information about it beyond what is contained in the Annual Report on the Administration of the opium Department for 1895–6. I shall be glad to place a copy of this Report at the disposal of the hon. Member for perusal if he wishes it.