HC Deb 29 June 1891 vol 354 cc1713-4
(3.15.) MR. D. CRAWFORD (Lanark, N.E.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether the Bombay Government have asked the Secretary of State to sanction the appointment of Mr. W. C. Webb, barrister-at-law, as third Presidency Magistrate at Bombay; whether Mr. Webb fulfils the conditions laid down by the orders of the Secretary of State and the rules of the Government of India, namely, that such appointments should be treated as "very special cases;" that the barrister so appointed should be a person of exceptional merit, and distinguished ability in the exercise of his profession for at least 10 years; and should possess a thorough knowledge of the vernacular language of the Province; whether he is aware that, although the Secretary of State has laid it down that the judicial branch of the provincial service should be essentially a Native service, if Mr. Webb is appointed, the Presidency Magistrates will be exclusively European; whether there is no competent and qualified native barrister, advocate, or pleader of the High Court now available for the appointment; whether a protest against Mr. Webb's appointment has been received from the Bombay Presidency Association; and whether the Secretary of State is aware that the native public and Press are strongly opposed to Mr. Webb's appointment?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST,) Chatham

The answer to the first paragraph of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative; but as the matter of the appointment of the third Presidency Magistrate at Bombay is now under the consideration of the Secretary of State in Council I trust that the hon. Member will defer his other questions until a decision has been arrived at.

MR. D. CRAWFORD

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the appointment will not be confirmed until an opportunity shall have been afforded for discussing it in the House?

SIR J. GORST

I have no authority to give any such assurance. The hon. Member must put a question on the Paper, and I must take the opinion of the Secretary of State in regard to it.