MR. STAVELEY HILL (Staffordshire, Kingswinford)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India, in view of the fact that Public Works officers in India can retire on pension without medical certificate after 20 years' service, and that Forest officers have to serve for 30 years, whether, considering that officers of both these Departments are trained in the same place and are on an equal footing in all other respects, and that the duties of a Forest officer are no less arduous than those of a Public Works officer, Government will admit Forest officers to the same Pension Rules as Public Works officers, both as regards length of service and as regards special pensions to conservators similar to those for superintending engineers?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. GEORGE RUSSELL, North Beds.)A Despatch has been received by this mail, containing the proposals of the Government of India on the subject of the pensions of the special Departments, including the 330 Forest Department. The Despatch is now under consideration, and no time will be lost in coming to a decision.