§ MR. P. A. TAYLORasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a statement in the newspapers, that a child of seven years old had been sentenced by the Worthing magistrates to three months' imprisonment for stealing some sugar plums and fourpence in money; and, if he will cause inquiry to be made in regard to the case?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, his attention had been called to the case in question, and from the result of his inquiries it appeared that the facts were rather peculiar and he should wish to offer an explanation. It seemed that the father of the boy resided in High Street, Worthing, in a corner shop, but he carried on no business. He was an habitual drunkard, and since the death of his wife, four or five years ago, his five children had been grossly neglected. In January, 1874, he was convicted and sentenced to 21 days' hard labour for neglecting to maintain them. On the hearing of the charge now in question he did not appear, but his housekeeper did, and instead of protecting the little boy she tried to make him out as bad as she could. On the same day a younger child of the man died, and at an inquest held upon it on Friday last, it appeared that though it had not been starved to death, yet death was accelerated by want of food. The Coroner severely censured the father. There was no mode of removing the child from the evil influences of home other than that adopted, for the boy, being under 10 years of age, could not be sent to a reformatory school. The report of the magistrates was that what had been done by them in sentencing the boy was an act of kindness to remove him from the evil influences which had surrounded him. His gaoler wrote that he concluded that the sentence upon the boy was intended as an act of kindness; and that he had requested the attention of the schoolmaster and the chaplain to his ease. He added that he did not think that it would have been any use sentencing such a boy to a reformatory school, as there was none such that would receive him for some time to come. He also said that the boy should 289 receive all proper kindness, and every effort should be used to reclaim him.