§ MR. REESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India a Question of which I have given private notice, viz., whether he is aware that the Madras Government intends to pass the Madras Landed Estates Bill within a few days; that if this course is pursued, the advisers of the landholders in England will have no opportunity of seeing the Bill as amended, and of considering what further representations should be made to the Secretary of State regarding its provisions, and the Secretary of State himself will have no opportunity of seeing what effect has been given to the terms of his despatch; that the Bill is not one of an urgent character, so as to make it necessary to pass it immediately through the Council, to the dissatisfaction of the great landowners of Madras who, rightly or wrongly, are under the impression that their interests are unfairly and prejudicially affected by it.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. MORLEV, Montrose Burghs)I do not quite understand why my hon. friend did not put his notice on the Paper. I have been in communication with the Government of Madras on this subject, and I have satisfied myself that this legislation has not been unduly 1402 hurried, and that the zemindars have had full opportunity of representing their views in the Madras Legislative Council. Their interests have at all its stages received the most careful consideration of the Secretary of State in Council. It would be altogether undesirable and contrary to practice to suspend legislation in India in order that private persons in this country may criticise its contents. The zemindars, if they still conceive their interests to be unfavourably affected by the Bill, will doubtless memorialise the Secretary of State in Council. I shall at all times be glad to consider in Council any memorial that they may submit to me through the ordinary channels. My hon. friend need have no doubt that I shall satisfy myself that the Act gives effect to my orders, before it is left to its operation.