5. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Under-Secretary of State for India under what circumstances the services of Mr. French, of the Indian Civil Service, were lent to the Indian Native State of Kapurthala, and what position Mr. French now occupies in the State; whether he is aware that exception is taken by Natives of the State to the levying of a tax last year on the peasantry and tradesmen, contrary to the Native custom, to meet the expenses of the marriage of the eldest son of the Maharaja, the sum raised being chiefly spent on the entertainment of foreign guests, and that exception is further taken to the recent increase in the scale of Court 1822 fees, far above the scale prevailing in. British Courts in India; whether these measures have the approval of the Indian Government, as represented by the political agent; and whether any complaints of harsh treatment of Natives of the State by Mr. French have been brought to the notice of the Indian Government?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Montagu)The services of Mr. French were lent to the Kapurthala State in January, 1910, for a period of two-years to assist in reorganising the administration, and their retention for a further three years has been sanctioned. Mr. French is for the time being a servant of the State, and the matters with which this question deals relate to the internal administration of the State in which it is not the policy of Government to interfere.
§ Mr. MONTAGUI did not answer that part of the question because nothing has arisen in this Native State which has made it necessary for the Government of India to interfere. Our usual policy is not to interfere with Native States unless in cases of grave abuse, and therefore I did not want to go into any details.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTCan the hon. Gentleman state why Mr. French originally went, there and what was the reason for the application?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI said Mr. French was lent to the State. It was to reorganise the administration.