Sir SEYMOUR KINGasked the Under-Secretary for India whether he is aware that the Government of India recently sanctioned, as a reward for famine work performed last year, two months' extra privilege leave or, as an alternative, four months' furlough on full pay for those who did ten months' work, and half the above leave for those who did six months'; whether he is aware that the Government of India, contrary to the recommendation of the local Governments, have decided that furlough on full pay cannot be combined with privilege leave; whether the Secretary of State's attention has been drawn to the fact that their ruling practically nullifies the advantage of the concession granted; and, if so, what steps does he proposed to take?
The MASTER of ELIBANKTo officers employed on famine relief operations in the United Provinces in 1907–8 the Government of India have sanctioned the grant of the leave concessions referred to by the hon. Member. The condition to which the hon. Member refers, which prohibits the combination of furlough on full pay with ordinary privilege leave, is identical with the condition which accompanied the grant of similar concessions in 1900. The Secretary of State does not consider that this condition practically nullifies the advantage of the concessions. The Government of India have not considered it necessary to make the concessions which have been granted on this occasion more liberal than those of 1901, and the Secretary of State sees no sufficient cause for interference.