§ 1. Commander WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for India why the Ordinance recently issued by the Government of India, which makes all British subjects of European origin between eighteen and forty-one liable to military service in India, exempts men who are employed in work of national importance; and whether this exemption is being used by heads of Departments to keep men in civil employment, particularly in the Public Works Department?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Chamberlain)The Government of India have informed me that the Ordinance which they have recently made is confined to the one matter of securing the registration of European British subjects as a preliminary to the Bill before the Imperial Legislative Council imposing liability to military service. I have not yet received the text of the Bill, but the Government of India state it does not empower heads of Departments to grant exemptions.