The Indian Budget.

Otago Witness, Issue 1765, 19 September 1885, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Indian Budget.

(Reuter's Telegrams.)

Lord Randolph Churchill introduced the* Indian Budget into the House of Commons on the 6th September. The deficit for the year is shown to be three millions. The Budget, as arranged last March, was completely upset by the Russian advance in Central Asia, which had caused the Indian Government an increased expenditure of £4,9(20,000, including a subsidy of £250,000 to the Ameer. Lord Churchill proposed to meet the deficit by an increase of the irrigation loan by £3,500,000, carrying forward £1,500,000 to next year. The whole condition of India, political and fiuancial.had changed, and not for the better. For this Earl Dufferin and the present Government were not responsible. The extraordinary expenditure would not be abnormal, but there must be a permanent addition to the actual expenditure of not less than £1 ,500,000. The Government had decided to create a reserve for the Indian army, and adding 26,700 men to its strength in the field. Thecavalry will be reorganised, and two new regiments will be raised in Bengal and one in Bombay, giving an increase of 3900 men. A second battalion will be added to the Ghoorka regiments, giving a total increase of 4500. The Indian army is to be armed with Martini-Henry rifles, and £250,000 will be spent in torpedoes and other defences for the Indian harbours. The increase of the native troops will necessitate an increase in the number of British troops in India. Lord Randolph Churchill strongly attacked the supineness and want of foresight shown by the Marquis of Ripon who, with the knowledge at his command, should have foreseen and provided against the advance of Russia, instead of spending money on public works, and making useless remissions in taxation and reductions in the army. In the next Parliament the Government would propose or support a resolution for a Parliamentary inquiry into the system of Government in India, among other reasons in order that the opinion of educated Natives may be heard. Mr Cross and the Marquis of Hartington protested against Lord Randolph Churchill making a partisan attack without notice on the Marquis of Ripon's administration, whom they defended as well as the general policy of the late Government in regard to Indian affairs.