§ MR. GUY DAWNAYasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been drawn to the account given by the Cario Correspondent of The Standard, in the issue of March 13th, of the failure of the attempts at judicial reform in Egypt, in which it is stated—
The new tribunals cannot indeed be said to work at all. but, as far as I can learn, they have not tried a dozen oases since their establisement. Out of 3,000 prisoners awaiting trial some. 1,200 have been in gaol over six months, and some as much as five years, without trial, on charges of theft, for which, if convicted, the maximum punishment would he three months. No attempts, however, seem to be made to clear off the terrible arrears, or to effect a gaol delivery;and, whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the truth of this statement?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, there is no reason to believe that there has been failure in the attempt at judicial reform in Egypt. The hon. Gentleman will find at pages 47, 49, and 67 of "Egypt, No. 1, 1884." a description of measures which had been taken with a view to a general gaol delivery, and Sir Evelyn Baring has been instructed to report how far these measures have been successful.