SIR WILLIAM WEDDEEBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, with a view to stimulate liberality in subscriptions to the Indian Famine Fund, he will, by a detailed statement, make clear to the public what branches of relief are undertaken by the Indian Government and what branches are dependent upon private charity; and whether he can give a rough estimate of the total expenditure required from the Government of India and from private charity respectively in order to deal suitably with the present calamity.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing)If the hon. Baronet will read any of the statements which I have sent to the Lord Mayor, or the various published letters I have written to the different organisations who have been, and are collecting funds for the Indian Charitable Famine Fund, he will there find clearly stated the branches of relief work undertaken by the Government and the subsidiary spheres of work reserved for charity. As regards the second question, the hon. Baronet will perhaps allow me to reserve till Thursday 1052 the general and detailed statement I shall be ready to make upon the famine expenditure.