5 JULY 1913, Page 20

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

hensive criminal law like the Indian Penal Code P Section 165 of that admirable enactment runs as follows :-

"Whoever, being a public servant, accepts or obtains, or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain, for himself, or for any other person, any valuable thing, without consideration or for a consideration which he knows to be inadequate

" From any person whom he knows to have been, or to be or to be likely to be, concerned in any proceeding or business transacted, or about to be transacted, by such public servant, or having any connection with the official functions of himself or of any public servant to whom he is subordinate, " Or from any person whom he knows to be interested in or related to the person so concerned, " Shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both."

Unfortunately we have no such law. But the above quotation, albeit not enforced in this country by any " sanction," exactly expresses the rule of conduct which you have in your columns argued that Ministers should lay down for themselves.—I am,