The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-05 00:00:00

NEW WRIT.

• _ _
Sir W. JOLIFFE moved for a writ to elect a member for
the University of Dublin, in the room of Mr. George Alex.
Hamilton, who has accepted the office of Steward of her
Majesty's Manor of Northstead. -
POOR RATES, Ste: ASSESSMENT.
Mr. WILSON asked the President' of the Poor Law
Board whether it was his intention to introduce
a bill in the present session for the purpose of
subjecting properties in the occupation of the Govern-
ment and other public bodies to assessment for
the poor and other local rates, in pursuance of the recom-
mendation of the committee of the last session ; and, if so,
at what time he will be able to lay such bill upon the table?
Mr. SOTHERON-ESTCOURT said that the subject
had received the attention of the Government during the
recess, and that a statement would be made to the house in
reference to it.

GROWTH OF COTTON IN INDIA.
Mr. HADFIELD drew the attention of the house to the
neglect of the facilities that existed in India for the supply
of cotton to this country. The manufacturers in this coun-
try paid £10,000,000 more for that article than its actual
value, or the price at which it could be supplied by our
dependencies. That neglect was owing to the want of
proper roads in India, and the means necessary for irrigat-
mg the land.
Lord STANLEY—The house, I am sure, will not desire
that I should go now into details upon the question of the

cotton supply and the progress of public works. I shall
have the opportunity of alluding to that subject ten days
hence, since it is one which is naturally connected with the
question of finance. For the present I will say that I agree
with the hon. member both as to the possibility and as to the
importance of greatly increasing the supply of cotton from
India. (Hear.) It has been estimated that the difference
between a good and a scanty supply of cotton in this
country is about equal to the difference between a war in-
come tax and no income tax at all. It is therefore a
Matter to which no English Minister and no member
of this horse can be indifferent. I agree with the
hon. member also that the most important means which
the Government have in their power for the purpose of
promoting the cotton supply from India is to facilitate
communication between different parts of the country. I
believe that if we can supply means of transit from the in-
terior to the coast it will be found that any other difficulties
which may be supposed to be in the way of carrying on the
cultivation of the articlewill rapidlydiminish. The Govern-
ment is fully convinced that, even in the present condition
of Indian finance--and that this condition is very serious I
need scarcely tell this house—it is their duty not to discon-
tinue expenditure on public works. Caution and discrimi-

nation will be needed; but if wewere to discontinue all out-
lay on public works until a deficit should become a surplus,
that would not be the way to bring the finances of India
into a flourishing condition. Itis a common mistake to pup-
pose that there has been no expenditure on public works.
For a considerable number of years there has been an
average expenditure of £2,000,000 on public works. I do
not, of course, claim credit for the whole of those works as
being of a reproductive character. It is difficult to state
exactly to what extent they are reproductive, but probably I
should be within the mark if I assumed that of the
62,000,000 a year expended on public works in India pre-
view to the outbreak of the mutiny one-hall at least was
for works of that character. During the two years of the
mutiny there has necessarily been a diminution of expen-
diture ;. but that diminution has not gone so far as might be
supposed, the outlay having amounted to £3,000,000, a
great portion of which has been
hear.) expendede) We
upon works of a
reproductive character. (Bear,are at present,
perhaps, in a more unfavourable position in one respect--I
do not mean in reference to finance—than any former time;
because we are now incurring all expenditure which belongs
to a large system of works undertaken without receiving any
portion of that profit which can only begin to arrive when
the works shall be completed. I came down to-night not
I speak therefore from
prepared to go into this subjec-7 and_nd numbers, that
recollection ; but I think I may say, in round
the length of railroad sanctioned in India Is 10abnfu et s
3, andoo
that the amount actually under construction
miles, while the quantity finished and opened does not ex-
ceed 500 miles. We have, therefore, a heavy outlay to bear
with a comparatively small return. But lam confident that
when those lines of communication shall be completed the
traffic will increase to such a degree in the districts through
which they pass aswill soon make them amply remunerative.
(Hear.) I shall be prepared to enter more at length into
this subject ten days hence. In the meantime, perhaps, I
may state that we have at this moment in contemplation
a plan which will greatly increase the amount of skilled
engineering labour at the disposal of the Government.
Another class of public works on which some labour has
been bestowed is that of irrigation. In the course of
last autumn the Indian Government for the first time took
the step of giving a guarantee, as in the case of railways,
for carrying on works of irrigation. Considerable difficul-
ties were anticipated—and I do not say that some of those
difficulties may not yet arise—as to the negotiations which
may have to take place between the companies and those
who are to be benefited by the works. But whatever those
'difficulties might be, I felt that the experiment was ono
which ought to be tried, and a guarantee of a million ster-
ling, therefore, was given for that purpose. (Hear, hear.)
I can only assure the house that there is no portion of the
business of the Indian Administration to which I and the
members of the present Government fitfacb so much ha-
e sto that of pressing on earnestly and expediti-
Prta" • works of a reproductive character. (Hear,
_ously public
hear.) Guarantees to the extent of something like
Z37,000,00Q have been given to railroads and to other cow;