§ MR. CAINE (Cornwall, Camborne)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, if his attention has been called to the refusal of the Government of Madras to sanction the election of Rao Bahadur Sabapathy Mudaliar, as Chairman of the Municipal Council of the town of Bellary, by the votes of 13 out of 17 of its members; if he is aware that this gentleman has been a member of the Municipal Council for 20 years, during nine of which he has been its chairman, that indignation is felt by his colleagues and the people of Bellary with regard to the refused sanction, and that memorials in protest have been sent to the Governor of Madras, who has refused all explanation; and will he state the reasons why this election has been set aside.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe election of Mr. Sabapathy was vetoed by the Government of Madras in the exercise of the discretion reserved to them by law: and I have ascertained that this was done after full consideration of the facts of the case, and in the interest of the municipality of Bellary; and that due account was taken of Mr. Sabapathy's past career and of his present circumstances and surroundings. At present I have no further information.