§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it has come to his notice that Thomas Barnes 1162 was committed by the magistrates of Cirencester, for stealing an almond cake on the 1st January, to take his trial at the Quarter Sessions which will be held some time in April, whilst the Gaol Delivery and Assizes will be held by Mr. Justice Hawkins on Monday next; and whether, as the youth in question has been already in prison for nearly two months for what is a trivial offence, if committed, and as lie cannot be indicted at the Assizes, he will consider if he might now be released, and a nolle prosequi be entered?
§ MR. MATTHEWSMy attention has not been called to the case of Thomas Barnes except by the hon. Member's question. The Assizes Relief Act, 1889, enables Justices to commit to Quarter Sessions, even though Assizes intervene, prisoners whose offences are fit for trial at Quarter Sessions, but the Justices still retain discretionary power to commit prisoners for special reasons for trial at the Assizes, and it has been generally understood that Justices may regard as a special reason the fact that committal to Quarter Sessions would involve long detention in prison. I cannot adopt the course suggested by the hon. Member, but I will communicate with the committing Justices, with a view to the prisoner being let out on bail, should the circumstances prove to be as stated.