§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been called to the Petition of Mr. James Thomas Fernandez, lately in the Indian Service as a civil engineer; whether the recital of facts in that Petition is generally accurate; and, whether it will be possible to re-consider the case of the Petitioner, with a view to affording him the restitution for which he asks?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)I am not sure to what Petition the hon. Member refers; but a Memorial from Mr. Fernandez was, in 1887, addressed to the Secretary of State in Council. The facts were not accurately represented in that Memorial. Mr. Fernandez resigned after 10 years' service in 1884, being at the time under suspension. In April, 1885, he was re-employed on a temporary engagement; but in November he was again suspended, and his services were dispensed with, he being granted a month's salary as an act of grace. The case has been fully considered by the Government of India and the Secretary of State, and the Secretary 444 of State sees no reason for re-considering the decision arrived at.