§ MR. CARBUTTasked the Secretary of State for India, If it be correct, as reported in India, that Major General Charles Pollard, R.E. who attained the age of fifty-five in September 1881, is to be re-appointed to the Public Works Department for a further period of two years, as consulting engineer for State Railways, or to fill some other important office in the Department; if so, what are the special reasons for making his case an exception to Notification No. 293, dated Simla, the 3rd September 1880, whereby retirement on attaining the age of fifty-five became compulsory among military as well as civil members of the Department; and, what has been Major General Pollard's experience as a railway engineer which renders him preeminently suitable to fill the post of consulting engineer for State Railways?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, nothing is known in the India Office of any intention on the part of the Government of India to continue General Pollard in the Indian Public Works Department after he has attained the ago of 55. If General Pollard has been continued in the post which by the last advices he held—namely, Chief Engineer and Secretary in the Public Works Department to the Government of the Punjab—his case would not be an exception to the Government of India Notification referred to, as retirements after the age of 55 are only required by the terms of that Notification when an officer has held his appointment for five years, and General Pollard has filled the post he holds for only three years. Should he have been appointed to any new office in the Indian Public Works Department the case would, I presume, have been referred, under the terms of the above-mentioned Notification, to the Secretary of State for sanction. No such reference has been made. General Pollard has had considerable experience in railways, having been chief engineer of a line and Consulting Engineer for Railways to the 1942 Punjab Government for many years before he received his present appointment.