§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEasked whether the right hon. Gentleman has yet received a report concerning the insult alleged to have been offered in a railway train to a member of the Viceroy's Council by an Army officer in India?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI regret to say that the Government of India report that the account of this incident given in the newspapers is substantially correct. Prompt steps were taken as soon as the matter came to the knowledge of the military authorities, and the offending officer, Mr. Stones, was at once placed under arrest pending consideration of the case, and has since been punished. Mr. Stones' Commanding Officer expressed his personal regret to Mir Allahbaksh Khan and sent 1977 him a written apology from Mr. Stones. Mir Allahbaksh Khan accepted this apology and expressed the hope that Mr. Stones would not be severely dealt with.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIECan the hon. Member say what punishment was meted out to Mr. Stones, the offending officer?
§ Mr. MONTAGUYes, Mr. Stones was censured by direction of the Commander-in-Chief; he wrote an apology to the gentleman insulted; and his leave has been stopped for a year, and the incident has been recorded in his confidential report.