HC Deb 28 April 1908 vol 187 cc1084-5
SIR H. COTTON

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to a case decided by the Calcutta police magistrate, Mr. Kingsford, on 12th March, in which a boy, eight or nine years of age, was charged with throwing a stone at a motor-car, which did not strike the motorcar, and was fined £1, and to the request of the magistrate directly addressed to the reporters that it might be stated in the Press that the next time anyone, whoever he was, was brought up on a similar charge he would be punished with whipping, and whether he proposes to take any action in this matter.

MR. BUCHANAN

The Secretary of State has seen a newspaper report to the effect stated. A practice of stone throwing is said to have grown up lately in Calcutta, and the Secretary of State sees no sufficient reason to interfere.

SIR H. COTTON

Does not the hon. Gentleman think it simply outrageous that a magistrate should threaten small boys with the punishment of flogging for stone-throwing—a very common practice in this country

MR. BUCHANAN

I understand the magistrate is quite within his power.

MR. HAVILAND BURKE (King's County, Tullamore)

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the judicial torture by the infliction of the lash is unknown in the case of any French or native subject in Algeria, and will he use his influence to bring India up to the level of humanity which has obtained so many years in Algeria?

EARL WINTERTON (Sussex, Horsham)

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in France there is considerable agitation to have severely flogged criminals who commit assaults on women and children?

*MR. SPEAKER

That hardly arises out of the Question on the Paper.