HC Deb 26 May 1884 vol 288 cc1301-2
MR. BUCHANAN

asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the correspondence between the Government of India and the Home Government, referred to at page 0 of the Financial Statement, with regard to the claim made by the Home Government for more than two millions; sterling on account of arrears of non-effective Army charges will be laid upon the Table of the House at an early date; and, whether the Secretary of State has agreed to the proposal of the Government of India For the payment of the large arrears still outstanding as well as of current charges under a system which will not lead to any increase of expenditure over the sum originally provided in the Estimates of 1883–4 on this account, and which will obviate for the future those "sudden and unforeseen fluctuations," which Sir Auckland Colvin complains of, and which are so disturbing to regular and economical financial administration?

MR. J. K. CROSS

I hope that the Correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of India respecting the arrears of non-effective Army charges will shortly be complete, when there will be no objection to lay it upon the Table. In reply to the second paragraph of the Question, I may say that arrangements are in progress, by which the "fluctuations" mentioned by Sir Auckland Colvin will in future be avoided.