§ *SIR CHARLES DILKEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to Law No. 21 of 1901, passed by the Jamaica Legislature on 4th July, Article 2 of which empowers the Jamaica Agricultural Society and any affiliated society to appoint constables for the arrest of persons suspected of prædial larceny, who, under Article 3, may be imprisoned on evidence not necessarily on oath; on whom Article 4 throws the burden of proving their innocence; and who, in the event of conviction of a first offence, may, and on subsequent conviction must, under Article 7, in addition to or in lieu of imprisonment, be subjected to flogging with a cat-o'-nine-tails, with not more than eighteen stripes if under the age of sixteen, or thirty-six stripes if over that age; and whether he will advise the disallowance of this law by His Majesty.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe law in question has not yet been received; 907 when it comes it will be most carefully scrutinised. To judge from the reports in the local newspapers, the provisions quoted by the right hon. Member are not correct, and the law contains a suspending clause, so that it does not come into operation until His Majesty's assent has been given.
§ *SIR CHARLES DILKEI have read the Act.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI have not seen the Act. I have only read the local newspapers, so that I am not in a position to say wheher the statements in the right hon. Gentleman's question are correct or not.