§ SIR W. WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the notification in the Madras Government Gazette, to the effect that the Legislative Council would meet at Octacamund on the 13th May; and whether it is proposed to proceed with the Madras Tenancy Bill at Ootacamund and, if so, how the important agricultural interests affected will have an opportunity of representing their case at this distant hill station?
THE SECRETARY STATE FOR INDIAI have seen the notification referred to, but it does not mention the Tenancy Bill. That Bill may, perhaps, be introduced at, Ootacamund, but I have no reason to suppose that its provisions will be discussed in Council elsewhere than in Madras.
§ SIR W. WEDDERBURNIs not that a new departure?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAI do not know whether it is a new departure, but it certainly is a convenient practice thus to deal with a public Bill of this kind, for it gives ample opportunity of discussing its provisions.