§ MR. SCHWANNI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India if he can now lay upon the Table of the House the Triennial Report on Labour Immigration into Assam, which should have appeared at the end of the year 1895, or thereabouts?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe Report about which the honourable Member inquires was sent home for my information in March, 1897, but it is not usual or desirable to publish such documents until they have been considered and reviewed by the Government of India, by whose comments they should be accompanied. In this case I have ascertained that the Government of India are awaiting the opinions of the local government whose consideration of the subject, owing to the recent famine, has been much delayed.
§ MR. SCHWANNWill the noble Lord use what pressure he can to get the Return? It is very late now and if it is delayed much longer it will be perfectly useless.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAYes, but my honourable Friend must remember that it raises a good many difficult questions.