§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in accordance with the King's Regulations, official patterns of canes and birches are kept in the home dockyards for comparison in the purchase at these dockyards of canes and birches supplied to the ships of the Royal Navy and naval training ships for the flogging of boys and youths under eighteen, in 636 these ships; whether specimens of the canes and birches thus approved will be produced by the Admiralty for the inspection of Members of the House of Commons.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAN,) Suffolk, WoodbridgeThe reply to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative, and to the second part in the negative.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLCan we not see these tools, as approved by the Admiralty.
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member is not entitled to ask whether they will be produced.
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)Will the hon. Gentleman place a sample of the canes in the tea room.
§ [No answer was returned.]