HC Deb 01 March 1861 vol 161 cc1202-3
COLONEL SYKES

said, he would beg to ask the noble Lord, the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the Government considers that the 87th Section of the Act 3 & 4 William IV., c. 85, which enacts— That no Native of the said territories (India), nor any natural born subject of His Majesty resi- dent therein, shall, by reason only of his religion, place of birth, descent, colour, or any of them, be disabled from holding any place, office, or employment under the said Company. Is applicable only to the admission of Natives into the service of the East India Company and not into the service of the Crown; and whether Her Majesty's subjects residing in India have or have not the same rights now as they had under the East India Company, and which Her Majesty's subjects possess residing elsewhere?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

Sir, in answer to my hon. and gallant Friend I have to state that my opinion on the question which has been put is that the claims of Her Majesty's subjects in India for employment in the public service have not been in any way affected by the transfer of the Government of India from the East India Company to the Crown.