§ 8. Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for India whether the Resolution issued in India on the 16th October amending the Rules of the Indian Civil Services and prohibiting retirements from these services without special permission, is due to the generally expressed desire on the part of the members of those services to retire rather than continue to serve under the new conditions proposed by the Secretary of State?
§ Mr. MONTAGUNo, Sir. The Resolution to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers arose solely out of an examination of the position of Government servants in India with reference to their right to resign, which the Government of India, like the Colonial Office, were led to undertake early in 1917. The Indian Civil Service has always been under an obligation of the kind in question. I know no authority for the suggestion that there is a generally expressed desire on the part of members of Indian services to retire.
§ Colonel YATEDid not the Colonial Office Resolution apply solely to men who asked for permission to go to the War? Is it not purely a war question?
§ Mr. MONTAGUAll I said was that the Colonial Office and the Government of 888 India both considered the position of the Service owing to conditions arising out of the War. The hon. and gallant Gentleman is wrong in thinking the question applies only to Indian Civil servants.