Sir HERBERT ROBERTSasked the Under-Secretary for India whether he would state how many sites had been acquired by the Government of Bengal for the construction of model buildings to be used as liquor shops; what had been the result of the experiment; and whether, before arriving at a final decision upon the subject, due regard will be paid to the objections entertained by all sections of opinion in India to the acquisition of such sites and the erection of liquor shops under the direct control of the Government?
The MASTER of ELIBANKThe Secretary of State has no information as to whether any action has as yet been taken by the Bengal Government on the recommendation, to which the hon. Member refers, of the Calcutta Licensing Committee; and in any case results are hardly likely as yet to be available. There is no reason to suppose that in arriving at a final decision the Bengal Government will be insensible to well-considered objections preferred by responsible exponents of public opinion in India. The Licensing Committee, which recommended the experiment in the interests of temperance and sanitary reform, included representatives of the Municipal Corporation.