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Government have in view and I recognise the danger of
allowing the martial races of India to take service under
Powers with whom we might possibly be at war. It appears,
however, to me that the mare scheme of recruiting in
India instead of locally would in no way effect the result
desired, while involving this Government in considerable
cost, and prohibitory delays. Until the Government of India
is in a position to control the emigration of the races
it desires to retain, it seems in fact useless for this
Government to undertake a costly and troublesome experiment
which would be clearly ineffective. It is feasible, how-
-ever, for me to undertake to repatriate all men who have
completed their service under this Government even though
they have been locally engaged, and I am prepared to take
the necessary steps to do so if repatriation can be made
effective; to secure this it is necessary to take measures
which shall prevent a man who has been provided with a
passage to India from disembarking at Singapore or else-
-where and returning (the permit system at that place does
not appear to be effective in its operation) and that men
who actually land in India do not return.
In the case of men discharged on
pension it would be possible no doubt to arrange with the
Government
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