§ Colonel DAYasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the statement made in the Report on the Children's Branch of his Department, as to the use of the birch, which has been discontinued at 26 Police Courts, he will consider the 1698W advisability of suggesting to other Courts, still inflicting the birch as a punishment upon juvenile delinquents, that this practice be discontinued?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSA copy of the Report of the Children's Branch of the Home Office which contains a paragraph regarding birching of juvenile delinquents was circulated to Courts of Summary Jurisdiction. As was pointed out in the Report, there is a sharp diversity of opinion among magistrates regarding the value of birching as a deterrent in the case of juvenile delinquents and I am not prepared to issue a circular on the subject.