HC Deb 09 December 1908 vol 198 cc455-6
MR. BELLOC (Salford, S.)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India what are the names of the principal firms exporting opium from the port of Bombay to Chinese ports and the port of Hong-Kong.

THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. BUCHANAN, Perthshire, E.)

We have no official or other list of the firms engaged in the trade referred to by the hon. Member, so that I cannot give him the information he asks for.

MR. BELLOC

But is not the India Office in possession of the information?

MR. BUCHANAN

It is not our duty to have a list of the firms engaged in a particular traffic. We may know the firms' names, but if I Were to say A. B. and C. were the principal firms, I should at once get a protest from D, E, and F.

* MR. SMEATON (Stirlingshire)

But are not the shippers of the opium also the purchasers?

MR. BUCHANAN

Very likely.

* MR. SMEATON

Then the Government ought to know the names of the exporters.