§ MR. EASTWICKsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for India. Whether there is any foundation for the Report in "The Overland Mail" newspaper of May the 28th, that objection has been taken to the admission of three of the four successful Native Candidates for the Indian Civil Service on a question as to their respective ages; and, whether, seeing that some Natives of India have great difficulty in ascertaining their exact ages according to our Calendar, it is the intention of the Civil Service Commissioners to adhere rigidly to the rule as to age in these cases?
MR. GRANT DUFFWith reference, Sir, to my hon. Friend's first Question, I deeply regret having to say that it is true that two of the native candidates who succeeded in the recent competition for the Indian Civil Service have been held to be disqualified on the ground of age. With reference to his second Question, I have to say that the Civil Service Commissioners are absolutely bound by regulations having the force of law. They investigated this matter with the greatest anxiety, and came to the conclusion that they had no choice but to do as they have done when they were appealed to by other candidates who claimed to be, of right, among the selected fifty.