§ MR. CAINEI beg to ask the Secretary of state for India whether he has any official information to the effect that the prolonged drought has destroyed the unirrigated crops in the Punjab, and caused a shortage of water in the canals, which threatens the irrigated crops also; and, if he has received no reports, will he make inquiry into this matter.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONMy latest official information, which dates from the end of last month, is to the effect that, though the unirrigated crops in the Punjaub are generally suffering from the deficiency of the winter rains, they have failed only in a few districts. The irrigated crops are reported to be good and the area under canal irrigation is above the average.