§ 4. Mr. MORRELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can now give any further information as to the civil action for £1,000 damages which is being brought against Mr. Channing Arnold by Captain Finnie, a member of the Civil Service in Burma; whether the action has lately been taken from the postponed list and put down for hearing before Mr. Radford Young on 18th August; whether the action is in respect of an alleged libel for which Mr. Arnold has already been tried and convicted in a criminal court and has suffered four months' imprisonment; and whether the taking of these further proceedings against him by a Government official, supported by Government funds and with the assistance of a Government advocate, has the sanction of the Secretary of State?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. C. Roberts)The Secretary of State understands that Captain Finnie considers his character to be vindicated by the criminal conviction of Mr. Arnold for defamation, upheld on appeal to the Privy Council, and is applying to the Chief Court for leave to withdraw his suit. The Secretary of State has not interfered, as he would be unwilling to deprive a public servant of his legal remedy, and Captain Finnie's decision is a voluntary one.