1. Sir HERBERT ROBERTSasked the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the resolution passed by the All-India Temperance Conference, held at Lucknow in December last, urging the Government of India and provincial Governments to take further measures to deal with the liquor traffic, especially by following more closely British administrative methods, with a view to the reduction of consumption under the abnormal conditions created by the War; and whether, in order to save the labour and materials at present wasted by the manufacture and sale of intoxicants, he will recommend to the Government of India the adoption of restrictive measures in accordance with Indian opinion?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Chamberlain)I have been in communication with the Government of India regarding the resolution referred to in the question The Government of India do not consider that increased restrictions are called for to meet the special conditions created by the War, and state that many -of the restrictions now imposed in this country are permanently in force in India. They think that further restrictions would not increase the supply of war materials or the supply or efficiency of labour, while they would tend to encourage illicit production and consumption. In view of this considered opinion I am not prepared to press the matter further.