27 JANUARY 1939, Page 21

[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—Mr. B. Fair, the

writer of a letter in last week's Spectator, observes that " it is common knowledge that garrotting was stamped out by corporal punishment." " Common know- ledge " is an easy horse to ride off on. For more particular knowledge your correspondent might be referred to some words of the present Attorney-General, used in the House of Commons on November 29th, 1938. Sir Donald Somervell spoke of " the Act of 1863, introduced by a private member and passed against the advice of the Home Secretary, who described it as panic legislation after the panic had passed ; the offence of garrotting had ceased when the Act was passed." The Act of 1863 was, of course, the measure which imposed flogging as a penalty for garrotting.—I am, Sir, yours, &c.,