HC Deb 29 January 1891 vol 349 cc1272-3
MR. CONYBEARE

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to two recent convictions under the new Bombay Salt Act, in one of which a native woman who was convicted of the charge of manufacturing salt, and punished with a fine of 10 rupees or eight days' imprisonment, had done no more than boil down some salt on which her little child had accidentally upset some water; and in the other of which a native woman, who bought some dirty salt and refined it, was fined 15 rupees with the alternative of 10 days' imprisonment; whether it was proved at the trial that neither of these criminals knew anything about the new Act; how long has the new Act been in force, and what steps have been taken to bring its provisions to the notice of the native population; whether any definition of the manufacture of salt is contained in the Act which would convey to the native mind that such offences as the above are punishable with fine and imprisonment; by what Court, and how constituted, were these sentences imposed; and if he proposes to take any steps with regard to these cases?

SIR J. GORST

In answering paragraphs 1 and 2 of the hon. Member's question, I have to say that records of judicial proceedings are not furnished officially to the Secretary of State, and the reports he has seen of the two cases referred to do not enable him to answer these two questions fully. The new Act has been in force since June, 1890, but the manufacture of salt has been prohibited in Bombay for many years. The Act was published in the usual way in the vernacular languages of the Presidency. A reference to the Act will show the definition of the manufacture of salt. The provisions relating thereto are such as to make it clear to natives that offences of the kind are punishable with fine and imprisonment. The sentence of the native Magistrate who imposed the fines in the first instance was, as I understand, referred to the High Court by Mr. Woodward, District Magistrate of Kanara, for revision. The High Court reduced one fine from 15 rupees to 8 annas, or one day's imprisonment; and the other from 10 rupees to 1 anna, or one hour's imprisonment. This revision of the original sentences seems satisfactory, and the Secretary of State sees no reason to interfere.