§ MR. KING (Hull, Central)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India (1) whether it is customary to allow officers of the Indian Army 90 days' privilege leave, of which they avail themselves to make brief visits to the United Kingdom; (2) whether it is usual to count the 90 days from the day when the officer leaves the station where he is serving, wherever it may be situated in any part of India or Burma, the difference in some cases between Bombay—the necessary point of departure from India for so short an absence—and many of the stations, varying from two or three days to three weeks or over in going and returning; (3) whether, having regard to the fact that officers in the Bombay Army, stationed in or near the City of Bombay, have a great advantage over officers in up-country stations, or in Madras, Bengal, and Burma, the Secretary of State will consider the advisability of recommending to the Indian Government that in the case of privilege leave for 90 days, the leave shall count from the date of embarkation for England at the port of Bombay, regulations being framed as to the additional time to be allowed from the various stations or districts to the port of embarkation; and (4) whether, as the season for leave is rapidly approaching, an early intimation can be given to that effect?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST,) ChathamThe answer to Questions 1 and 2 is in the affirmative; and, with regard to Questions 3 and 4, I have to 1416 say that the Secretary of State is not prepared to take any action in the matter.