HC Deb 11 May 1871 vol 206 c624
MR. HAVILAND-BURKE

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, about the 30th of March last, there was pending before the Legislative Council of Calcutta a Bill, introduced by the Government of India, which proposed to enact that— No Civil Court shall take cognisance of suits to enforce claims to any Pensions or Grants of Money or assignments of Land Revenue conferred by the British or any former Government; and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government are prepared to sanction or permit such legislation?

MR. GLADSTONE

, in reply, said, that the rule of withdrawing all Pensions, or Grants of Money or consignments of Land Revenue conferred by the British or any former Government was in force throughout all India with the exception of a limited portion of the Bombay Presidency. A Bill, introduced by the Government of India, proposed to assimilate the law with regard to the exceptional portion to the law which prevailed throughout the remainder of the country. The usual course pursued was that such Bills passed through the hands of the authorities in Calcutta before they came under the official notice of the Secretary of State, and the time for the consideration of this particular measure by the Secretary of State had not, therefore, yet arrived.