MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the questions recently addressed by the Board of Revenue in the Madras Presidency to the collectors in reference to the desirability of a reduction in the number of liquor shops in the towns and districts; whether he is aware that the collectors in most cases recommended reductions; whether the Board of Revenue declined to approve of these recommendations; and, if so, whether he will state the grounds upon which this decision was arrived at.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. BEODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)I have not seen the reference nor the replies made by collectors. In reviewing the Excise Report for 1903–4 the Madras Board of Revenue deal with the subject, and explain that no great reductions in the number of shops were in their opinion possible, as the number had already been fixed with care and was not excessive.