§ Mr. LUPTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he has seen a letter from Mr. R. Hawthorne, of Fouche and Company, Poona, describing the forcible arrest of a woman and child by an agent of police and their conveyance to a vaccination station, where the child was vaccinated, contrary to the wish of the mother and despite Mr. Hawthorne's intervention; if such a proceeding is in accordance with the Law of India at Poona; and, if not, whether he will bring the matter to the attention of the Governor-General of India?
The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (The Master of Elibank)The hon. Member has been good enough to show me the letter to which he refers from Mr. Hawthorne. The acts alleged to have taken place are not authorised by the law as to vaccination in force in Poona, and persons committing them would render themselves liable to conviction and penalty in the criminal courts. The Secretary of State has no official information on the subject, but he will ask the Bombay Government for a Report.