On Friday week the Indian Press Bill for checking the
incitements to violence in native journalism, and literature was introduced in the Viceroy's Council by Sir Herbert Risley. It requires new newspapers to deposit a sum of between five hundred and five thousand rupees, as may be determined by the Magistrate.—The maximum has since been reduced to two thousand rupees.—If an offence under the Act be committed, the deposit is to be forfeited subject to an appeal. The appeal is to a special tribunal of three Judges of the High Court, which will decide whether the offence properly comes under the Act. On making a fresh and larger deposit the newspaper may continue to be published. Three offences involve the suppression of the paper. Newspapers already in existence are not required to make a deposit. But if they commit an offence under the Act they will have to deposit a sum as in the case of newspapers which are established after the passing of the Act. It will be seen that the Act is a very temperate measure. The appeal is to a thoroughly competent tribunal, so that the local Govern- ments should be able to act promptly without the least fear that ultimate injustice can be done.
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