§ MR. C. J. O'DONNELL (Newington, Walworth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he can state how much of the 150 per cent. increase in the total land revenue of the Punjab from £636,229 in 1855 to £1,604,609 in 1905 has been obtained from lands brought under canal irrigation since 1855.
§ MR. MORLEYThe hon. Member has not noticed the fact that the increase in land revenue in the Punjab, between 1855 and 1905, is partly due to a transfer of territory from the North-Western Provinces to the Punjab. Allowing for this, the increase is not 150 per cent., but about 40 per cent. But it is impossible to say with any approach to accuracy how much of this increase is obtained from lands brought under irrigation since 1855. During the last thirty years alone the area irrigated from permanent State canals has increased six fold, or from 750,000 to 4,500,000 acres.
§ MR. HUNT (Shropshire, Ludlow)I beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman if the produce grown by the poor Indian peasant is taxed 50 per cent., while manufactured goods and luxuries for the rich get off free?
§ *MR. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of the Question on the Paper.