§ Mr. SMEATONasked why, notwithstanding that the declared policy of the Indian Government, in which the Secretary of State concurs, is to give a preference in the purchase of stores for the Indian Army to goods manufactured in India, the Indian Government have recently discontinued giving contracts to the Indian breweries for the supply of beer to the troops; how this action can be reconciled with the declared policy of preference to Indian manufactured goods; and whether the Secretary of State will advise the Indian Government to resume the system, which is believed to have given satisfaction, of giving contracts to the Indian breweries.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSESoldiers in India pay for their own beer, and if it is true that the contracts given to the Indian breweries have been discontinued, as to which the Secretary of State has no information, this has presumably been done in order to meet the wishes of the soldiers.