§ Sir. J. JARDINEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India, with reference to the mamlutdars, deputy collectors, and other subordinate officers under the Government of Bombay, who, after the conclusion of the Crawford trial were dismissed from the service of the Crown with pensions equal to full pay, on the ground 943 that they had purchased their revenue and judicial offices, if he can state what is the present amount paid annually out of the revenues of India for these pensions; and what is approximately the total amount paid since these pensions were awarded?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI am unable to give the figures for which my hon. Friend asks. I may say, however, that, in view of the very small number of officers involved in the case to which he refers, and the lowness of their salaries, the amount paid to them since dismissal cannot ever have exceeded Rs. 12,000 a year, and in the course of the twenty-one years that have elapsed since their dismissal must have very considerably diminished. My lion. Friend's question is inaccurately worded. These officers were not granted pensions equal to full pay. They were allowed after dismissal to draw pay as if in the Service, but without increments, until the dates when, had they remained in the Service, they would have been entitled to pension. They then drew pensions, which, under rule, could not exceed one-half of their pay.
§ Sir. J. JARDINEWill the hon. Gentleman give an approximate estimate of the money that has been spent in this way?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI do not think I can do so without asking for very laborious work. The whole affair happened about twenty-one years ago.