§ CAPTAIN PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether it is the case that, by the Indian Army Regulations, an officer who has passed through a two years' course at the Staff College is still kept on exactly the same footing, as regards claims for staff employment, as one who has merely been through the two months' garrison class and passed the usual examinations for promotion to field rank; and whether the great majority of appointments on the Army Headquarter Staff and District Staff in India are held by officers who are not Staff College graduates; and, if 1429 so, whether he will consider the advisability of altering these Regulations so as to assimilate them with those which prevail in the Home Army, whereby preference in the giving of staff appointments would be given to Staff College Officers, thus enabling the Indian Government to profit to the full extent of the payments which it makes towards the maintenance of the Staff College, and allowing it to give legitimate reward to its officers whom it encourages to pass the course?
§ *LORD GEORGE HAMILTONThe selection of officers for staff employ in India is vested in the Government of India and the Commander-in-Chief in India, and I am confident that in making such selection these authorities weigh carefully the merits and qualifications of all candidates, and that due weight is given to the possession of Staff College certificates. I see no reason to interfere with their discretion, or to alter the Indian Army Regulations, which on this subject are substantially the same as the Queen's Regulations.