§ 23. Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the Buddhist province of Burmah, where there is believed to be a wider extension of education among the masses of the people than in any other part of India, the number of capital sentences and of whippings in comparison with the population is invariably much in excess of the number of such sentences passed in other provinces; and whether inquiry will be 909 made into the methods of judicial administration in Burmah which lead to such a result?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Charles Roberts)As regards whipping, I would beg to refer the hon. Member to the answer given him on the 17th February. With regard to the rest of the question, serious crimes are exceptionally numerous in Burmah and are on the increase. The Secretary of State sees no sufficient reason for the suggested inquiry.
§ 24. Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked whether, with a view to improving the method of judicial administration in Burmah, the Secretary of State will take into his consideration the advisability of establishing a High Court in that province, with a barrister as chief justice, in place of the existing Chief Court, in which the chief judge is ordinarily a civilian promoted from the executive branch of the service?
§ Mr. ROBERTSThe Secretary of State sees no reason for modifying the decision on this point which has been more than once expressed to the House. The present Chief Judge of the Lower Burma Chief Court is a barrister, and not an Indian civilian.