§ MR. HOPWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the case of George Wells, sentenced as an incorrigible rogue and vagabond under 5 Geo. 4, c. 83, in respect of convictions for begging, by Mr. William Hardman, the Chairman of the Surrey Sessions, on the 10th of April last, to twelve months' imprisonment and "twelve strokes of the cat-o'-nine-tails;" whether the same George Wells was in June 1881 sentenced by the same chairman for a similar offence to twelve months' im- 1680 prisonment with "twelve strokes of the birch rod;" whether the same George Wells, in October, 1882, was sentenced by the same chairman for a similar offence to twelve months' imprisonment, with "twenty-five strokes of the birch rod;" whether the punishment of whipping under the above Act had been long laid aside, until revived at the Surrey Sessions; and, whether he will support a Bill to repeal, or will, by expressing disapproval, repress this punishment now three times inflicted upon the same individual?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI have made inquiries into this case, and the man appears to have been a bad character. If the hon. and learned Gentleman wishes to have my opinion, I will say that I do not consider flogging an appropriate punishment for offences of this character.