§ MR. MACFARLANEasked the Under Secretary of State for India, If Baboo Soorendro Nath Bannerjee, who has been sentenced to two months' imprisonment for contempt of Court in Calcutta, is the same person who was dismissed from the Bengal Civil Service, in 1874, for conduct which Sir George Campbell, then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, described as "dishonest and fraudulent;" and, whether the same person has been appointed an honorary magistrate in Calcutta?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSYes, Sir; Baboo Soorendro Nath Bannerjee is the person who was dismissed from the Bengal Civil Service on the recommendation of the Government of India by the Secretary of State in 1874; and it appears from The Calcutta Gazette that last September he was appointed an honorary magistrate in Calcutta.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORasked whether Bannerjee was not a person of great influence amongst his own race and creed?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSI believe he is a gentleman of very great influence.
§ MR. ASHMEAD- BARTLETTinquired whether this person would be empowered, under Mr. Ilbert's Bill, to try Europeans for criminal offences?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSI am unable to reply to that Question.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLasked whether it was not the case that Mr. Ilbert's Bill would not in the least degree affect the jurisdiction of honorary magistrates in Calcutta; and, whether, as a matter of fact, honorary magistrates sat in jurisdiction on Europeans quite independent of that Bill?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSCertainly; that is so.