HC Deb 08 June 1899 vol 72 cc643-4
SIR ANDREW SCOBLE (Hackney, Central)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to certain prospectuses of the Godaveri Estates, Limited, and the Godaveri Valley Collieries, Limited, purporting to deal with mining and other rights in the Zemindari of Ramangavaram and Mullur, in Hyderabad State; and whether the Zemindar has power to give a lease of the mineral rights on his estate.

*LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

My attention has been called to these prospectuses, which appear to have been issued in London for the purpose of exploiting a concession alleged to have been granted by one Mathu Krishnam, Zemindar of Ramangavaram and Mullur, in the Warangal District of Hyderabad State. The Government of His Highness the Nizam brought the matter to the notice of the Government of India, and reported that they had nothing to do with this alleged concession; and that, inasmuch as no Zemindar has the right to lease minerals to an English Company without their consent and that of the Government of India, ally contract purporting to deal with milling rights which may have been made by the Zemindar is null and void.

INDIAN SUGAR TRADE. CAPTAIN SINCLAIR (Forfar)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India if he will be good enough to state the quantities of sugar, raw and refined, entering India during the year 1898–9, specifying in each case the countries of origin.

*LARD GEORGE HAMILTON

The trade returns for March, 1899, give the following figures as the imports of sugar into India during the year 1898–99:—

Refined Sugar.
From Austria-Hungary 1,063,737 cwt.
From Germany 413,971 11 cwt.
From Mauritius 1,793,607 cwt.
From China 185,682 cwt.
From Java 162,500 cwt.
From Straits Settlements 75,656 cwt.
From Other countries 69,757 cwt.
Total 3,764,910 cwt.
Unrefined Sugar.
From all countries 312,778 cwt.
I have as yet received no details regarding the countries from which this unrefined sugar came. It may be added that 167,644 cwt. of foreign refined sugar were re-exported from India during the year.