§ Mr. HART-DAVIESasked the Under-Secretary of State for India, whether he is aware that the reorganisation of the provincial service of the Survey Department has caused discontent among the officers affected; whether he can explain why the provincial service was not represented on the Commission which recommended the reorganisation; whether the reorganisation injuriously affects the prospects of officers especially who joined before 1905; whether petitions dealing with the great difference in treatment meted out to the imperial service (survey) officers and the provincial service (survey) officers have been received at the India Office; and 518W whether the causes of complaint on the part of the provincial officers will be carefully investigated?
The MASTER of ELIBANKThe Secretary of State is not aware that the proposals of the Survey Committee for creating a new provincial service, with improved prospects and a higher entrance standard, side by side with the existing provincial service, has occasioned discontent. It has not been proposed to interfere in any way with the prospects of officers already admitted to the existing service. Officers who joined that service after 1st May, 1905—the date of the submission of the Committee's Report—are, if specially qualified, eligible for transfer by the Surveyor-General to the new service. Otherwise members of the existing service will retain their present scales of pay. No memorials on the subject have reached the Secretary of State. Any memorials that may be submitted to him through the recognised channels will be duly considered. The Committee consisted of four officers of high administrative standing and technical knowledge, and had to deal with the whole question of the methods, working, and organisation of the Survey of India. In view of the nature of the inquiry it was not thought necessary to appoint a provincial officer to serve on the Committee.