§ Mr. O'GRADYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether Mr. Chidambarum Pillay is still undergoing rigorous imprisonment in an Indian gaol; if so, whether it is contrary to practice that when a prisoner is sentenced to transportation he should be kept in an Indian gaol, with no possibility of being granted the amenities that transported prisoners receive when sent to the Andamans; whether, having regard to the character of the crime for which Mr. Pillay was sentenced, steps will be taken to have him sent to the Andamans; and whether, in view of the fact that Mr. Pillay was actually sentenced to transportation before, and not after, the late King Edward VII.'s Proclamation of remission to convicts, the full term of remission will be granted in this case?
§ Mr. HAROLD BAKERAs regards the earlier part of the question I have nothing to add to the full answer given to the hon. Member on 7th March last. As regards the last question, the sentence which the convict Pillay is serving was passed by the Madras High Court after the date of His late Majesty's Proclamation, and the orders of remission issued by the Government of India to give effect to the Proclamation were confined to convicts undergoing sentences at that date. Apart from this, a certain discretion was exercised by the Government in dealing with individual cases.