EAST INDIA (CIVIL SERVANTS). (Hansard, 2 June 1890)

§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST,) Chatham
I beg to move— That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and report upon the alleged grievances of the Uncovenanted Civil Servants of India, arising from the depreciation of the rupee and their leave and pension rules: That Mr. King, Mr. Howorth, Sir Stafford Northcote, Mr. Bristowe, Viscount Baring, Sir William Plowden, Mr. Barbour, Mr. Alfred Pease, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Mac Neill, and Sir John Grorst be Members of the Committee: That the Committee have power to send for persons, Papers, and Records: That Five be the quorum.

§ DR. TANNER
I object.

§ SIR J. GORST
I hope the hon. Gentleman will not persevere with his objection.

§ SIR G. CAMPBELL
I should be glad if the Resolution were agreed to. The Under Secretary of State has accepted a technical Amendment with regard to the description of the value of gold and silver. I thought it my duty to intervene between the taxpayers of India and the tribunal in this country, but I was appealed to in pathetic terms by gentlemen who have served under me in my youth and my mature age, and I was obliged to give in. I hope there will be a careful and full inquiry. There is a question which I have put down on the Paper for to-morrow, and which I hope the right hon. Gentleman (Sir J. Gorst) will consider before action is taken. I am told that, notwithstanding the presence in this country of a vast number of persons who are interested in the question, it is proposed to send home from India at full Indian salary a large number of gentlemen who wish to give evidence before the Committee. I hope that full consideration will take place before any such action is followed. As regards the constitution of the Committee, this is a judicial matter, and I think the Committee should be constituted on a purely judicial basis. I believe that at least one gentleman who has expressed the very strongest opinions on the subject has been nominated to serve on the Committee, and I do not think he is in a position to take an unprejudiced, view of the question. I shall object to his name, and I hope that, at all events, the settlement of the names will be deferred till to-morrow.

§ MR. A. O'CONNOR
I understand this is really to benefit a number of gentlemen in India who find the bargain they made has not turned out for them as satisfactorily as at first they expected. If it had turned out better they would have said nothing. [Cries of "Oh, oh!"] They now propose to saddle the unfortunate taxpayers of India with a further charge, in consequence of the depreciation of silver as compared with gold. I shall object.