§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNE (Rochester)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether, under the Rules recently made by the Secretary of State, the recruitment of the commissioned ranks of the Indian Police has been thrown open to Natives as well as Europeans; and, if so, whether, in view of the recent religious outbreaks between Mahomedans and Hindus, stretching across British India from Burmah to Bombay, the Secretary of State will consider the advisability of appointing Superintendents of Police who do not belong to either of these religious communities?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. G. RUSSELL,) North Beds.The Rules make no distinction between Natives of India and other natural-born subjects of the Queen. No other consideration is entertained, in selecting officers for the appointment of Police Superintendent, save that of personal fitness for the post. The mere fact that a Native professes a 1409 certain religious faith is not a disqualification; but it would be a disqualification if in his practice of that faith he made himself offensive to his neighbours of another religion.