MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he will state whether there is any change in the situation in India as to the famine; whether he will give the latest returns as to the 1105 total number in receipt of relief from the State, and the famine statistics with reference to the principal provinces; whether he has any recent information as to the spread of cholera in India; and whether, in view of the interest in the position of affairs in India, he has information which would enable him to lay Papers before Parliament dealing with the development of the famine and with the methods adopted by the Government of India to cope with it.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONThere is as yet no material change in the famine situation. Showers have done good in some parts, but the monsoon rains are not yet due. For the last few months a weekly telegram from the Viceroy giving the numbers on relief and the famine outlook has been published in the newspapers. According to this week's telegram, the total numbers on relief were 5,607,000. These figures would have been higher but for the cholera which has attacked some of the relief camps in Bombay and in and caused the workers to be dispersed. As yet, however, I have received no detailed reports on this subject. I propose to lay on the Table Papers showing the spread of the famine during the past six months, and the steps taken to relieve distress caused there by.