GENERAL RUSSELLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that, on the outbreak of hostilities on the North-West Frontier of India last autumn, a number of officers who were then on leave at home were telegraphed for to rejoin their regiments forthwith; that some of these officers had only just arrived on a year's leave, and were obliged to return within a week or so of their landing in this country; and that they have been refused repayment of their passage money by the Indian Government; and whether he can see his way, as a special case, to relax any regulation, should such a regulation exist, which forbids such repayment?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAI understand there are some officers who rejoined their regiments under conditions which do not, under regulations, permit of the payment of their passage money. I propose to send out those cases to the Government of India, so that they may consider if any change is advisable as to the procedure to be adopted in connection with the recall of officers on leave.