§ MR. H. LEWIS (Flint Burghs)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the duty on Kohat salt was four 401 annas per maund up to 1883; whether in that year it was increased to eight annas per maund; and whether in 1896 the duty was increased to two rupees per maund; whether this increase of duty upon one of the prime necessities of life was alleged by the Afridis to be one of the chief grievances which led to the Frontier war: and whether the Government will take the necessary steps to remedy this grievance?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAOn the 11th of February last I stated, in reply to a Question, that the Kohat salt duty was raised in 1883 to eight annas, and recently to 32 annas per Kohat maund, which is equivalent to 26 annas per Indian maund, for the reasons given in the correspondence which had then just been presented. It appears from that correspondence that, in the opinion of the Government of India, the increase in the salt duty was put forward by the Afridis as a pretext, alter they had already committed themselves to hostilities. The correspondence also shows that, as I have already twice stated in the House this Session, I propose to await a report on the subject, which I shall expect to receive when trade shall have been re-established for some little time.