§ SIR H. COTTON (Nottingham, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to a speech of the Chief Justice of Bengal, at the annual dinner of the Calcutta Trades' Association, on the 29th January, in which reference was made to a strong rumour current that the Calcutta High Court was to be partitioned and a portion of the Bench sent to Dacca, and invoking the Trades' Association and the Chamber of Commerce to make a protest which would preserve the unity of the High Court; whether any proposals for the partition of the High Court have, in fact, been made; and, if so, at what stage they have arrived; and whether having regard to the adverse view which 332 has already been so decidedly expressed in both Anglo-Indian and Indian circles he will afford the amplest opportunity for public criticism in India and for discussion in this House before his sanction is given to any such proposals.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. MORLEY,) Montrose BurghsI have seen a newspaper report of the speech to which this Question refers. No proposal for the partitioning of the High Court of Calcutta has been made, nor do I regard any such proposal as in the least degree probable.