18 AUGUST 1917, Page 11

"BENGALI CULTS AND MYTHS." (To rag EDITOR or THE "

Sescrceolt."I Snt,—Your correspondent Mr. J. H. Powell (Spectator, August Ilth) is mistaken in his belief that "hook-swinging is not

• forbidden ' in the sense of being illegal." The Indian Penal Code (Act XLV. of 1860) is still in force in British India, and Sect. 336 is quite explicit. It is possible that the " certain area " at whirls Mr. Powell writes is in one of the independent States.—