§ Mr. RANKINasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to make any statement with regard to the steps which have been taken to control the exceptional outbreak of malaria in Ceylon; and whether he is satisfied that the steps now being taken are likely to put an end to this outbreak?
Mr. M. MacDONALDThe steps which have been taken were detailed in oral replies given by my predecessor to questions, on 27th March and 5th June,820W by the hon. Baronet the Member for South-East St. Pancras (Sir A. Beit) and the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Wight (Captain P. Macdonald), respectively. Since the latter date the Governor has reported that the State Council of Ceylon have recently voted a further sum of Rs.2,000,000 for the relief of distress due to sickness and shortage of food, arising from the malaria epidemic and the failure of the harvest. The new drug atebrin-mussonate is undergoing trials in the larger hospitals and certain groups of villages in the epidemic area. I am satisfied that the Government of Ceylon are taking all reasonable measures for dealing with the outbreak, and that they will give the fullest consideration to any further recommendations which may be made by the special officer who is engaged on an expert investigation of the situation.