Delhi, March 4.
The Council of State to-day rethe restricting of opium to medical purposes. The mover Sir Deva Sarbadhikuri complained that the consumption of opium was extremel high in Assam, Burma and portions of Bengal.
Mr. MeWuters, the Secretary of Finance Department, quoted. sta ties showing a gradual decrease in consumption la Burma and Assam and stated that Bengal was contemplating drastic measures. added that the Government of India was fully alive to the importance of opium smoking but was of the opi ion that temperance was a bet policy than prohibition. Hence, steps were being taken to reduce the nun ber of shops und also the quantity of sales. Furthermore, if a foreign country did not require Indian opium the Government would cease exports, thenes regardless of financial con= siderations—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.