§ 49 and 50. Mr. RAWLINSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for India (1) whether any, and what, new arrangements have been made, or are proposed, for the selection of probationers for the Indian forest service; and whether graduates of any university will still continue to be eligible for selection without further conditions being imposed;
(2) whether any new arrangements have been made, or are proposed, for the training of probationers for the Indian forest. service; whether such probationers will still continue to be able to be trained at any university having a forestry department, or whether they will be compelled to be trained at Oxford; and, if so, whether an opportunity of discussing the question in the House will be given before any such regulation comes into force?
§ Mr. RICHARDSThe question of the training of forest probationers has been under consideration for some time, but this is closely connected with the question of the future of the service. Recommendations on this subject have been made by the Royal Commission, presided over by Lord Lee, whose report will be published to-morrow. Until these recommendations have been considered by the Government of India, my Noble Friend is unable to make any statement.
§ Mr. RAWLINSONUp to the present has any alteration been made in the existing state of affairs, first as regards 16 selected candidates, and, secondly, as regards their training, because large sums of money appear to have been spent upon them?
§ Mr. RICHARDSNo.
§ Sir H. CRAIKHas any Regulation been made confining the training of these candidates to the University of Oxford to the exclusion of other Universities?
§ Mr. RICHARDSI am not aware of it.
§ Mr. J. JONESMay I ask if there is ever going to be any alteration, and are we always going to keep on in the same old way?
§ Mr. RAWLINSONIf I put down a question a week hence, will the Under-Secretary endeavour to give me an answer?
§ Mr. RICHARDSYes, I will endeavour to do so.