MR. MAC NEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India (1) whether a Mr. Willmott, holding the appointment of Assistant Political and Financial Secretary to the Nizam of Hyderabad, has induced that State to grant annuities of Rs.600 each per annum to his four sons for their lives; (2) under what circumstances the Resident of Hyderabad sanctioned these grants; and (3) whether the grants are in direct contravention of the Rules of the Secretary of State for India as regards the employment of Europeans in Native States?
MR. GEORGE RUSSELLMr. Willmott is not, and never has been, in the service of the Government of India; nor is he under its control. The Secretary of State has not heard of the grants referred to. (2) Such grants would not require the sanction of the Resident; nor has the Government of India any control over the details of the financial administration of Hyderabad. (3) The Secretary of State, as at present advised, has no reason to suppose that the persons to whom grants are said to have been made are in the employment of the Hyderabad State; nor is he aware whether or not they are Europeans.