§ SIR H. COTTON (Nottingham, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he has received any reply from the Government of India in reply to the despatch he addressed to that Government about a year ago regarding public floggings as a judicial punishment in India; and whether he is prepared to take any steps towards the elimination of this form of punishment from the criminal code of the country, except incases where the offender is guilty of gross and violent crime against the person.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. MORLEY,) Montrose BoroughsA reply has been received and is now under my consideration. I am not prepared to make any statement on the subject at present, but I hope there will be no long delay.