§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the higher grades of both the Civil and Military medical services in the Native States are usually filled by Indians to the entire satisfaction of the Government and the people; whether similar posts outside these States are held by officers of the Indian Medical Service at much higher salaries; and, seeing that this latter system leads to extravagance, inefficiency, and discontent, whether he proposes to abolish it by filling these places as in the Native States?
The MASTER of ELIBANKSo far as the Secretary of State has information on the subject, in the 25 most important native States the headship of the medical department, with six exceptions, is held by an Indian; in the six mentioned the head is an officer of the Indian Medical Service; but in 16 of the remainder there is an agency surgeon, whose advice is doubtless available to the Durbar in medical matters. He has no information as to other medical appointments in those States, and has not heard that any dissatisfaction with them has been expressed. As to the system in force outside those States, and the measures being taken in connection therewith, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Papers recently laid on the Table of the House.