HC Deb 15 May 1899 vol 71 c589
MAJOR RASCH

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, whether he is aware that lieutenant-colonels of the Royal Engineers and other senior officers ordered to India for a term of service are deprived of rank and seniority by being ordered to serve in subordinate positions in the M. W. Department, while continuous service juniors are placed above them and, by what statutory authority is regimental seniority ignored.

* THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, Ealing

I am not aware of any cases in which lieutenant-colonels and other senior officers of Royal Engineers ordered to India have been placed under then juniors; the present organisation of the Military Works Department in India is about to be changed, but it has been decided, with the concurrence of the War Office, that, so long as it is maintained, an officer must accept the grading to which the Government of India think it right to post him, provided that he shall not be called on to serve directly under are officer junior to him regimentally.