MR. J. H. ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Calcutta Municipal Bill has been passed into law by the Bengal Legislative Council, and whether more than half the elected members of the present Corporation of Calcutta have resigned their seats as a protest against the action of the Government in reference to the Bill referred to; and whether, in view of these circumstances, this House will have an opportunity of considering the provisions of the new law before it comes into operation in April next.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONMy answer to the first two questions is in the affirmative. As regards the third question, I do not propose to depart from the ordinary procedure prescribed for Acts passed by the local legislature, and which are reported to the Secretary of State.