SIR MINTO FARQUHARasked the right hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for India, Whether he can state when the distribution of the Delhi and Lucknow Prize Money is likely to take place; and what is the course to be pursued with reference to the Kirwee and other Indian Prize Money?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, that a warrant for the distribution of the Delhi and Lucknow prize money had been forwarded to India. Early in autumn, in anticipation of the issue of that warrant, he wrote to the Government of India desiring them to take such measures as they could to further that, which was the first step to be taken by them, the preparation of the prize rolls, upon which depended the fixing of each man's share. That would necessarily occupy some time. When the rolls were completed, the prize money would first be distributed to the claimants in India; the remainder would be sent home for distribution in this country. With regard to the Kirwee money, a legal question had been raised, and the Courts, or at any rate the Advocate General at Calcutta had to consider whether the property taken in that fortress was prize money or not, and, until that legal question was decided, he could not give any further information on the subject. As to the remaining prize money, a committee of officers had considered the matter, and recommended that the entire of it, with the exception of the Delhi and Lucknow prize money, should be thrown into a common fund and distributed among the army generally. The Government of India had been asked to give an opinion on this recommendation, and until that opinion was received he could not state what conclusion would be arrived at on the question.