§ MR. F. G. BANBURY (Camberwell, Peckham)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India on what grounds the publication of the Indian Government's proposals for the reform of the currency is withheld until the appointment of the Committee of Inquiry?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAThe inquiry which the Committee will have to conduct is, as the hon. Member must be aware, of a rather delicate nature; and, when the proposals made by the Government of India on the same subject in 1892 were referred to a Committee, the dispatch containing them was not published until the Committee had reported, about a year afterwards. I have, however, decided that on this occasion a different course may be adopted; but I consider it desirable that 206 the publication of the proposals should be simultaneous with their reference to the Committee.
§ MR. VICARY GIBBS (Herts, St. Albans)Will the proposals be in the hands of Members before the Waster Vacation closes, so that we may have time to consider them?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAI hope they will be in the hands of Members shortly, but it will not be before the close of the Easter Recess.