§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that in October last a boy named George Lillie, of the cruiser list, was sentenced by a Court-martial, held on board H.M.S. "Victory," to three months imprisonment and to receive twenty-four stripes with the birch for rushing, during the caning of another boy which he was compelled to witness, at the officer who was superintending the punishment and striking him; and whether, having regard to the fact that the presence of all the boys on board ship to witness the birchings and canings of their comrades is calculated to engender feelings of resentment and to lead to acts of insubordination, steps will be taken for the rescission of the provision in the King's Naval Regulations for the presence of all the boys to witness such punishments.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAN, Suffolk, Woodbridge)The facts are as stated. There is no intention of making any alteration in the regulations.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLOn the first opportunity I will give the hon. Gentleman a rhetorical flogging on this subject.