§ MR. KELLY (Camberwell, N.)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been called to the statements made with reference to Mr. Furnivall on page ix. of the Report from the Select Committee on East 327 India (Hyderabad (Deccan) Mining Company), to the effect that Mr. Furnivall, who was recently in the employ of the Government of India, but has now retired on a pension, received from Mr. W. C. Watson 500 shares in the Hyderabad (Deccan) Company, "for nothing;" that he sold these shares at £11 each, and therefore realized £5,500 for them; whether Mr. Furnivall will be required to refund such sum of £5,000 to the shareholders of the Hyderabad (Deccan) Company; and, whether, in the event of his refusing to refund such moneys, the Indian Government will take steps to secure the amount being repaid to these shareholders out of the pension payable to Mr. Furnivall?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)(who replied) said: The attention of the Secretary of State has been called to the statements respecting Mr. Furnivall in the Report of the Select Committee on the Hyderabad (Deccan) Mining Company. As, however, Mr. Furnivall had retired from the service of the Government of India before the transactions in question took place, it is not within the competence of the Secretary of State to take any action in the matter.