MR. BASSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been drawn to a report of a punishment inflicted by the Head Master of Shrewsbury School on a boy 1037 of the name of Loxdale, whom (it is alleged) he flogged with eighty-eight stripes, whereupon the governors, after well considering the matter, did not regard the punishment excessive, but begged he would not do it again; whether the account is substantially accurate; and, if so, to ask further whether that punishment does not far exceed any which is inflicted on young criminals, whether felons or misdemeanants?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, that he had no further information on the subject than had appeared in The Times of that morning, but his hon. and learned Friend the Member for Denbigh, who was one of the Governing Body of the school, would no doubt be able to state the facts. As to the second part of the Question, he thought his best course would be to refer the hon. Member to the Statute Book and leave him to judge for himself. For certain offences, boys under 16 might receive 12 stripes, and, in some cases, offenders under 18 might be whipped; but the number of strokes and the instrument were not specified. In cases of robbery with violence, if the offender was under 16, the strokes were not to exceed 25, and were to be inflicted with a birch rod; lads over 16 might receive 50 lashes with the cat.
MR. OSBORNE MORGANsaid, he would, after the direct appeal which had been made to him, venture to trouble the House with a few observations. He was one of the Governing Body of the school, and he was appealed to by Mr. Moss a few days ago, to vindicate him from the charge of having grossly ill-used a pupil. He thought the case demanded a searching investigation, and that it ought to take place at Shrewsbury; but, unfortunately, from his Parliamentary and legal duties, he was prevented from attending the inquiry. It was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Bateson (the chairman), the Bishop of Man-chester, Earl Powis, Mr. Hibbert (late M.P.), and Mr. Kenyon, Q.C., and they arrived at the conclusion that the original charges against Mr. Moss had been exaggerated, and also that the punishment inflicted was not excessive or improper. As to the facts, he was not able to add anything to the statement which had appeared in the newspapers. The conclusion to be drawn from the facts was another matter. He had no right to impugn the decision of his colleagues. 1038 He could hardly put his finger on five men more competent to conduct such an inquiry, but he should be unworthy of the position of a Governor if he did not endeavour to form an independent judgment. He had read over carefully every word of the evidence taken, and he had also heard from Mr. Moss's own his lips his defence and explanation, and he was bound to say that he could hardly understand the decision at which his colleagues had arrived. In his opinion, the punishment was both excessive and improper. That, of course, was only his own individual opinion; but it might derive some additional weight from the recommendation which the Governors appended to their finding, and which was that such a punishment should not be inflicted in future. Under all the circumstances, and thinking that he would be placed in a false position if he were considered responsible for the decision, to which he had been no party and of which he could not approve, he had that day placed his resignation in the hands of the Governing Body.