MR. A. B. LAW (Glasgow, Blackfriars)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the reports from India (Burma and Assam), Egypt, South Africa, Australia, Japan, and the Midland Railway of England, which record the marked superiority of the locomotives received from builders in this country as compared with those imported from America, in such points as the coal and oil consumption and the cost of repairs, he will advise the Indian Railways under State control to endeavour to forecast their requirements for new rolling stock so that these may be requisitioned for in ample time to permit of sound construction; otherwise, will he ask the members of the recent Congress in India to declare whether they will be satisfied with locomotives from this country if of equal finish to those received from the United States.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G.) HAMILTON Middlesex, EalingThe question of revising the existing Rules so as to enable the Secretary of State to place orders in advance for the construction of locomotives in this country, was one of the subjects discussed by the recent Locomotive Conference in 160 India. I am in communication with the Government of India on the subject, and will press the matter forward.