§ 15. Mr. KELLYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that at the monthly meeting of the Rangoon Corporation in September resolutions were passed to the effect that in their opinion the reopening of opium registers for Burma consumers was not desirable and not in the public interest,, and urging His Majesty's Government to veto the proposal to legalise the sale of opium in Rangoon; and what steps the Government propose to take in the matter?
§ Earl WINTERTONI have seen a Press report of the resolutions referred to. The Government of Burma had already decided not to re-open the opium registers for Burman consumers without a clear mandate from those affected. The other resolution referred not to opium but to ganga. As regards the last part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that excise is a transferred subject.