§ 6. Sir JOHN JARDINEasked what are the salary and designation of the office to to which Mr. Mallet was lately appointed and what are its duties; and whether he was appointed by the competition system or has passed examination in any Indian language, or will be required to qualify by examination in one or more Indian languages within a reasonable period?
§ Mr. HAROLD BAKERThe designation of the office is "Secretary for Indian Students." The salary is £1,000 a year. The appointment was not made by competitive examination. It ranks with that of the other heads of Departments in the India Office. It would not, in the Secretary of State's judgment, be practicable or appropriate to appoint to so senior an office by competitive examination. The duties, which were explained to the House by the Under-Secretary for India on the 30th July, consist principally in assisting English-speaking Indian students in this country to obtain access to educational institutions and opportunities. For such duties what is needed is not a knowledge of the languages of India, but the ability to utilise and extend any opportunities which offer at the universities, at the Inns of Court, and at educational and industrial centres in the country, for the better training of Indian students and for rendering their stay here helpful and satisfactory to them. It was, in the Secretary of State's judgment, necessary, if possible, to secure the services of a gentleman who had already proved his capacity in the world of affairs to command the confidence and cooperation of educational and industrial leaders, and to represent the Secretary of State with weight and authority in the interests committed to his charge. For reasons which in no way reflect on the ability and sympathy of officers, past and 1036 present, of the Indian Government, but which are well known to those who seek to come into closer daily contact with Indian students in this country, the Secretary of State considered that the success of the scheme might be furthered by the selection of a gentleman thus qualified who had not hitherto been connected with Indian administration. With these considerations before him and with the undivided responsibility for the success or failure of an important departure, the Secretary of State, after due deliberation, invited Mr. Mallet to undertake the duties of the appointment, and it was, and is, a great satisfaction to my Noble Friend that he was able to accept.
§ Sir J. D. REESWith reference to the pronouncement of policy which he has made, may I ask whether there were any retired Indian Civil servants possessing the necessary qualifications?
§ Mr. HAROLD BAKERAll those points are covered in the answer which I gave.
§ Colonel YATEIs there any reason to suppose that the officers who had been hitherto charged with these duties were not properly performing the duties?
§ 47. Sir J. D. REESasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the cumulative effect produced upon the public services in India by the appointments of Mr. Clark from England, over the heads of all his contemporaries on the active list, to be a member of the Council of the Governor-General, of Mr. Mallet, to the exclusion of all retired Indian officials, to the supervision of students from India, and of the hon. Member for Leicester to be a member of the Commission upon the Indian public services; whether he is aware that general discontent on the part of officers does not conduce to administrative efficiency; and whether he will reconsider the last-named appointment, which does not become effectual till the Commission sails for India in December?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd George)My right hon. Friend is not aware that the appointments referred to have had the effect attributed to them by the hon. Member, and he sees no reason for reconsidering the last of them.
§ Sir J. D. REESMay I ask whether the Prime Minister has been at any pains to verify the statement made, and whether he considers a discontented public service is a matter of slight importance, to be put 1037 off in this way? Does he disregard the whole Press of India?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI am certain the Prime Minister would not have given his answer if he had not considered it.
§ Mr. O'GRADYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the fact that nearly the whole of the Press of India, with a few exceptions, have acclaimed the appointment of the hon. Member for Leicester to this position, and that these two or three papers who have not done so are notorious for their political bias? Has the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the cartoon of the Indian "Punch," which shows the Prime Minister that the public servants themselves are also in favour of the appointment of the hon. Member for Leicester?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI did not know that my right hon. Friend's researches had been carried to the extent of the Indian "Punch."
§ Mr. JOHN WARDDid the right hon. Gentleman ask the hon. Member for Nottingham (Sir J. D. Rees) before he made this appointment?