MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been directed to the reference made by Lord Curzon, in his speech at the Legislative Council on the 27th ult, to the necessity of initiating a positive advance in the irrigation system of the various provinces of India; and whether, in view of the importance of the question, he will lay upon the Table of the House the reports of the engineers by which the action of the Government of India in this respect will be guided.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, BalingI have seen the report of Lord Curzon's speech, which repeats the views I have several times expressed upon the same subject. I will see if a Blue-book upon irrigation can be compiled, as it is very desirable that there should be a clearer idea in certain quarters of what can and cannot be done by the extension of irrigation schemes in India.