§ Considered in Committee [Progress, 25th June].
§ [Mr. ROBERT YOUNG in the Chair.]
§
Question again proposed,
That for the purposes of any Act of the present Session making provision with respect to leave of absence from India of the Governor-General, Commander-in-Chief, and Governors and members of Executive Councils, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of the Revenues of India of any salaries, leave allowances, and travelling or other expenses which may become payable under such Act.
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Richards)It is essential that I say a word or two about this Resolution. It relates to a Bill which was given a Second Reading the other evening, and was debated at some length in another place. The Bill is intended to remove an anomaly that has existed for 159 years. Under the present law it is impossible either for the Viceroy or for the Commander-in-Chief to leave India for Europe during their period of service. The Bill will remove that anomaly. When either for reasons of health or for matters of State the Viceroy leaves India temporarily, his place will be taken by another person. The Money Resolution will cover the expense involved, which will come out of the revenues of India.
§ Sir ROBERT HAMILTONCan we have some information as to the rate of leave allowance to be drawn by these officers when on leave? I see in the Bill that the allowances are to be drawn up by the Secretary of State in Council. What is to be the leave allowance of those officers who come home on urgent private affairs? Are they to be on a different footing from those who come home in the ordinary course of leave or on public business?
§ Mr. BUCHANANI notice that the Bill applies merely to viceroys, officers and governors, and in fact to everyone except the poor people with whom we are mostly concerned. Does the Under-Secretary intend to bring in a Bill to give the same advantages to private soldiers in India? It seems to me that the House is prepared to discuss questions about the pay of officers when they get leave for private business, but on the other hand we can never get a man home from the Army even on compassionate grounds. I cannot understand why, in a so-called democratic community, we should set up a certain standard for officers and not apply it to privates, whose business might be just as important as that of anyone else. We have been discussing to-day and for many days past how to raise money to extend schemes of social reform. May I suggest that it might be well to give these generals and governors-general permanent leave of absence, bring them home and not allow them to go back. It might be better for India and for us. I am new to Parliamentary procedure and I may not properly appreciate this Resolution, but I cannot see the justice of a proposal which gives special privileges to officers but does not extend the same privileges to the rank and file. I expected something different from the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Colonel Wedgwood) who, though an individualist of individualists, has always been known as a democrat of democrats. In my younger Socialist days I was constantly lectured by him, because my idea of Socialism did not give enough freedom to the individual. Now he is here supporting a proposal to give to the officer or the governor-general a right which is withheld from the private soldier. He cannot defend it and I hope, at least, to have an assurance from him that a similar proposal will be introduced applicable to the private soldier in India however humble his rank and station. I feel sure my appeal will not fall on deaf ears.
§ Resolution to be reported To-morrow.