مجموعة ٢٩ /٨٦ "النفقات الدبلوماسية والقنصلية: المقدار؛ المراجعة؛ الشؤون العامة" [ظ‎‎٢‎٦‎٥] (٥٦١/٥٣٠)

SUGGESTED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIAN REVENUES.
135. From time to time the Foreign Office have made
unsuccessful attempts to obtain further contributions from
Indian Revenues towards the cost of various Consular posts at
which it was claimed that a considerable proportion of the work
was done either on behalf of the Government of Irdia or the
Government of Burma, or on behalf of Indian or Burman British
subjects. The following in star ce s of this kind may be cited:-
REVIVAL OF BASRA CONSULATE
Paragraph 30.
136. It will be remembered that the British Consulate
at Basra, in respect of which the Government of India had
formerly made an annual contribution of £1400 to Imperial
Revenues, had been closed in 1914 on the outbreak of war with
Turkey and that in 1923 the Foreign Office had agreed to refund
the contributions which had continued to be made from Indian
Revenues in respect of the post and to make the necessary
reduction in the Government of India’s basic contribution
towards diplomatic and consular expenditure in the future.
P.1893/24.
137. On April 26th, 1924, however, the Foreign Office
informed the India Office that the question of re-establishing
a British Consulate at Basra was under consideration, and they
enquired whether the Secretary of State for India would see
his way to reviving the former contribution made by the
Government of India towards the maintenance of the post.
138. The Foreign Office enquiry was referred to the
Government of India, who replied by telegram as follows:-
P.3350/24
’’The approximate number of Indians in Basra is 400 as
against 200 other British subjects, but the value of Indo-Iraq
trade for the last 3 years was 6^ millions sterling as against
16-|- for the United Kingdom.
”Gn commercial grounds Consular representation is
necessary, but we consider that India should not be asked to
contribute towards the Consular expenditure unless the
Dominions do likewise, such contributions being contrary to
the spirit of Resolution 4(A)(l)^ Imperial Economic Conference,
1923.
”lf necessary, we should prefer, as matter of principle
and in spite of expenditure being possibly greater, to appoint,
as in Jeddah, our own representative, either Vice-Consul or
Agent under Section l y ~ of Indian Emigration Act’’.
P.4876/24
139. The issues raised by the Government of India’s
telegram were considered in the India Office in conjunction
X
"The Governor General in Council may for the purpose of safeguarding the
interests of emigrants in any place outside British India, appoint persons
to be agents in such places, and may define their powers and duties.”