§ 4. Captain ARTHUR HOPEasked the Secretary of State for India whether the Indian Civil Service (Bengal) Association has recently asked him to receive a deputation; and, if so, what reply was given?
§ Mr. BUTLERThe answer to the first part is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, my right hon. Friend decided that he could not receive a separate deputation from one provincial branch of the Indian Civil Service Association, as this would make it impossible for him to decline to receive a separate deputation from any other provincial branch that might make the request. To ensure, however, that the deputation should be as fully representative as possible, the arrangements for the Indian Civil Service members of the general Service deputation, which my right hon. Friend received on the 29th March, were entrusted to the representative in this country of the Indian Civil Service Central Association, and it is understood that an invitation was extended to representatives of the Bengal branch to join in the deputation but that they did not see their way to avail themselves of it.