§ MR. H. H. MARKS (Kent, Thanet)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the report of the superintendent of police of Hankow to the British Municipal Council of Hankow, for the year ending 31st December, 1905, from which it appears that during the year 514 persons charged with various offences were flogged with bamboos, and seventy-six persons were tortured with the cangue; whether such punishments are allowed by the British Consuls on concessions in China; and what steps, if any, His Majesty's Government intend to take for the purpose of stopping them.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYWe have not got the report referred to. Jurisdiction over Chinese subjects for offences which do not concern a British subject is not exercised by British Consuls. Such cases come before a Chinese magistrate appointed by the Taotai. The Vice-Consul sits with him as assessor, but if the offences are serious the accused persons are remitted to the Chinese city magistrate outside the concession. I assume that the sentences referred to were given by Chinese authorities.
§ MR. H. H. MARKSI will furnish the right hon. Gentleman with a copy of the report.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI shall be glad to receive a copy of the report, but it will not help me unless I know under what authorities the sentences were given.