§ MR. J. BARRY (Wexford, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received direct information to the effect that at the request of James Egan, a prisoner in the Convict Prison at Chat ham, a Member of this House had an interview with him yesterday (28th July,) when the prisoner wished to make a statement respecting a special grievance connected with his treatment in prison, that the warder who was present said he had special instructions not to allow any reference to prison treatment, or any allusion to be made to the recent inquiry held as to the treatment of certain prisoners in Chatham Prison; whether this action is in accordance with ordinary usage; and whether as the prisoner declares the question is one of life and death to him, he will grant a special visit to two Members of this House, at which the prisoner shall be permitted to make a statement on the subject?
§ MR. MATTHEWSYes, Sir; I understand the facts to be as stated. The action of the officer present was in accordance with the ordinary usage. Ample provision is made by the standing orders that prisoners shall have opportunities of making complaints, or any application to superior authority, by means of interviews with the Governor or Deputy Governor, or Visiting Director, or by Memorial to the Board of Directors, or to the Secretary of State. They may also make any complaint to the Prison Visitors. I have before stated in this House that neither Members of Parliament nor any other persons can be allowed access to a prisoner for the purpose of investigating a matter of prison discipline.
MR. MAC NEILLDoes not the right hon. Gentleman remember informing me across the floor of the House that Mr. Soames and Pigott had an interview with a prisoner in the interest of the Times, and why is the privilege accorded to them denied to Members of the House?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI do not think the hon. Member is accurately representing the point of my answer. The point of 1176 my present answer is that an interview for the purpose of investigating a matter of prison discipline has never been allowed. If the hon. Member wishes for further information he had better give notice of a question.
§ MR. J. BARRYIt is a matter of life and death in this case, and I will therefore ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will not consent to allow this man to see two Members of the House so that he may make a statement as to his special grievance?
§ MR. MATTHEWSNo, Sir; I cannot accede to that application. I am myself perfectly prepared to receive any complaints.
§ MR. MATTHEWSThis case is entirely different from that of the prisoner Daly. I did allow a doctor to visit Daly, because fears were expressed that the prison doctor had not taken a right view of his case. That was a totally different matter to allowing any two Members of the House to visit a prisoner for the purpose of inquiring into prison discipline.
§ MR. J. BARRYSome time ago I addressed two applications for leave to visit this man to the right hon. Gentleman, and both were refused in discourteous terms.