6. Sir HERBERT ROBERTSasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that in February, 1912, the Madras Legislative Council passed a resolution recommending a gradual reduction of the strength of arrack by two degrees in each of the first two years and by another degree in the third year, and the prohibition of the sale of arrack and toddy to persons below the age of sixteen years; and whether any orders have since been issued by the Government of Madras upon these two points?
Mr. BAKERThe Government of Madras have prohibited, with effect from 1st April next, the sale of arrack and toddy to persons below the age of sixteen, and they have instructed the Board of Revenue to select and propose districts in which the experiment of reducing gradually the sale strength of arrack from thirty degress to thirty-five degrees under proof will be tried.