HC Deb 07 August 1900 vol 87 cc928-30
MR. KIMBER (Wandsworth)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to a Despatch No. 15, P. W., dated 28-1-90, from the Government of India, dealing with matters to be brought before the Select Committee of the House of Commons, and specially affecting the claims of the Cooper's Hill Engineers; and whether the evidence therein contained was laid before that Committee; and, if not, why it was with held.

LORD G. HAMILTON

The question as to the selection of Papers to be laid before the Select Committee in 1890 was, I believe, very carefully considered by my predecessor in office, and all Papers bearing on the subject under discussion which it was thought could be published without prejudice to the interest of the public service were produced. I am not prepared, at this distance of time, to reopen the question.

MR. KIMBEE

Was this particular despatch laid before the Committee?

LORD G. HAMILTON

was understood to answer in the affirmative.

SIR MANCHERJEE BHOWNAG-GREE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether any alterations have been made recently in the regulations for the admission of students to the Royal Engineering College, Cooper's Hill; and, if so, will he state the particulars regarding the same, and also whether they tend to impose any restrictions on the entrance of students from India to the college, and on their passing through it to the several departments of public service for which they have been hitherto eligible.

LORD G. HAMILTON

The college was established to supply from this country officers for the Public Works Departments in India. Colleges were also set up in India to supply native officers for the same departments, and at these colleges no Europeans were allowed to be trained. Recently there was a rush of Indian students to the Cooper's Hill College. Finding that in the past few years one native student had on the average got into the Public Works Department through Cooper's Hill, I fixed for the future two as the number to be annually competed for by them. Thus the main object is maintained for which the college was established—namely, the annual provision of European officers for these departments, whilst at the same time no restriction is imposed upon the limit of Indian students.