§ MR. CAINE (Cornwall, Camborne)I beg to ask the Secretary of State 690 for India if his attention has been called to the conduct of the Deputy Commissioner of Dharmsala, who, with his revenue officer, interviewed the head men of Spiti and Bara Bangahal districts, and urged them to loyally support and increase the revenue in every possible way, but particularly in the excise department; and whether, seeing that this action on the part of a revenue officer is in distinct contradiction of the declared policy of the Government of India as formulated in their despatch to the Secretary of State, No. 29, 4th February, 1890, the Government of India propose to take any action in the matter.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingI have received no report concerning the circumstances described in the hon. Member's question. But I can quite conceive that the Deputy Commissioner of Kangra may have urged the headmen of those remote Himalayan, tracts to support the Government in putting down illicit stills and illicit drinking. If he did this the Deputy Commissioner would not, in my judgment, be contravening the principles and policy of the Government of India, as declared in the despatch quoted in the question.