§ 30. Mr. TOUCHEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any expression of opinion has been received from the Government of India on the question whether the Secretary of State's proposal to authorise a separate gold coin of 10 rupees would satisfy the desire for the 1026 coinage of gold in India, as an essential feature of the currency policy inaugurated in 1893, and definitely established on the recommendation of the Currency Committee of 1898; and will he circulate any further correspondence on the subject with the Government of India subsequent to the Secretary of State's despatch No. 139, dated 18th October, 1912?
Mr. BAKERThe Government of India have informed the Secretary of State that, as at present advised, they would prefer the issue of a 10 rupee gold piece to the coinage of sovereigns under the conditions stipulated by the Treasury, but inquiries are contemplated to ascertain the views of local authorities and bodies.
§ Mr. TOUCHECan we be made acquainted with the terms of the communication from the Government of India in order that we may know fully their views on the subject?
§ 31. Mr. TOUCHEasked whether the proposal of the Government of India, made in 1899, to open a mint in Bombay for the coinage of sovereigns, agreed to after long delays over administrative details, subsequently abandoned for the time being in 1902 owing to objections of the Treasury and renewed in 1912, is now to be held in further abeyance pending the appointment and report of a Royal Commission or other expert body to inquire into the organisation of the India Office, the use of the balances, the maintenance of the standard of currency, and the employment of surplus revenues?
Mr. BAKERAs will be seen from page 56 of the recent White Paper on Gold Coinage, the statements in the first part of the question are not quite correct. As I mentioned, in reply to the previous question, the consideration of the possible coinage of the sovereign in India is postponed for the present. The Secretary of State cannot state, without further consultation with the Government of India, when a final decision will be reached regarding the coinage of some kind of gold coin in India.
§ Mr. TOUCHEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the part of the question which he says is incorrect was taken verbatim et literatim from the communication of the Government of India?
Mr. BAKERYes; but the hon. Gentleman omitted a very important statement 1027 in the White Paper giving the reason which determined the Government of India.