HC Deb 20 April 1893 vol 11 cc767-8
SIR WILLIAM WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether it is the case that for some time a correspondence has been passing between the High Court of Calcutta and the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal on the subject of Government interference with the independence of subordinate judicial officers; whether this has led to a difference of opinion between the High Court and the Lieutenant Governor; whether this matter has been referred to the Viceroy in Council and the Secretary of State, or either of them; whether the complaint of the High Court is that pressure is brought by the executive officers of the Government to bear upon subordinate judicial officers in order to obtain a large percentage of convictions in police cases; and whether the Secretary of State will lay Copies of all the Papers upon the Table of the House of Commons?

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. GEORGE RUSSELL,) North Beds.

The correspondence referred to, which is at present incomplete, is before the Secretary of State in Council. When it is completed the question of laying the Papers on the Table will be considered.