§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, if he will take such stops as may be necessary to debar cantonment magistrates at Lucknow from trying cases instituted in their capacity as secretaries of cantonment committees.
§ MR. MORLEYThe organisation of cantonments in India places the executive authority in the hands of a cantonment magistrate, who is also secretary to a cantonment committee of which the commanding officer of the cantonment is the chairman. There is no possibility as the law stands of transferring the hearing of cases within cantonments to other officers than cantonment magistrates, nor would such a transfer be consistent with the system of prompt and strict military administration which necessarily prevails in an area occupied by troops.