MR. LLOYD MORGAN (Carmarthenshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, when the post of Chief Presidency Magistrate of Madras recently became vacant, it was given to an officer of the Madras police who had no judicial experience; whether similar posts in Bombay and Calcutta are always filled by lawyers of experience; and whether Mr. W. E. Clarke had invariably acted as Chief Presidency Magistrate of Madras whenever a temporary vacancy occurred within the last few years; whether he was so acting within a short time of the last vacancy occurring; and whether, in the event of any such vacancy occurring in future in Madras, he will adopt the same course as that followed in filling the similar posts in Bombay and Calcutta.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONI have no knowledge of the appointment referred to in the hon. Member's question. The power to make it rests entirely with the Government of Madras, and I am not aware of any sufficient reason for interfering with their discretion and responsibility in the matter. I believe that in Madras there are recent precedents for appointing to this post officers whose experience has been confined to police business, and that the results have been quite satisfactory.