asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue a letter to magistrates drawing their attention to the strong public feeling which exists on the subject of the inadequate penalties imposed in cases of cruelty to children.

No. I am always reluctant to send circular letters to magistrates. They alone have the facts of a particular case before them and are competent to decide what the penalties in that case should be. I have no doubt that the publicity given to this problem in recent months, in this House and elsewhere, will have drawn magistrates' attention to the public feeling on this question.