§ MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)To ask the Secretary of State for India what proportion of the land sold during the last year for which Returns have been received, for arrears of revenue in the Madras presidency, is irrigated and what proportion unirrigated, and what is the average assessment of the holdings in question; whether he has any official Reports showing that such holdings are taken up as a speculation and practically abandoned whenever rains fail, and that the subsequent sale of such holdings in order to the correct maintenance of Government records in this behalf is an advantage to the registered proprietors, who thereby escape liability for the assessment.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley) The figures for 1905–6 are: —Dry land sold, 19,906 acres; average assessment, nine-tenths of a rupee; irrigated land sold, 6,463 acres; average assessment, 45⅗ rupees. With reference to the last part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the Report for Madras forming one of the Papers appended to Lord Curzon's Land Revenue Resolution of 16th January, 1902. The practice mentioned by my hon. friend is there stated to be one of the causes of sales of poor and valueless land for arrears of revenue.