Mr. SILVESTER HORNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the forthcoming Durbar is estimated to cost a million pounds sterling; whether any part of this sum will be borne by the British Exchequer; and whether it can be provided that no extra taxation shall be borne by the poorer classes of His Majesty's subjects in India in consequence-of the expense of the Durbar?
§ Mr. MONTAGUProvision has been made in the Estimates of the Government of India for 1911–12 for an outlay of approximately £1,000,000 in connection with the visit of His Majesty the King to India. Against this there will be a considerable set-off, the amount of which cannot now be accurately estimated, in the shape of increased railway, post office, and telegraphic 991W revenue, and certain recoveries. About one-third of the gross expenditure is debited to the military budget, the amount of which, however, is not increased above the figure of 1910–11. No extra taxation is to be imposed. The Secretary of State is not able at present to say what part, if any, of the expenditure in India will be borne by the British Exchequer.