§ MR. HUNTsaid, he wished to inquire, Whether the attention of the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary has been directed to a statement in the papers describing the committal of a whole family for three weeks, with hard labour, for the offence of sleeping under a tent? The statement was to the effect that a family of gipsies—a mother with six children, the youngest being only eight years old—had been committed to gaol by the Rev. Uriah Tonkin, on the 25th or 26th of last month, at a place called Hale, in Cornwall. He also wished to ask, whether the right hon. Gentleman will not make inquiry into the circumstances, with a view to advise Her Majesty to remit the sentence, and whether he has any objection to lay on the table the depositions and conviction?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, in reply, that he had received no information respecting the case referred to by the hon. Member. No application had been made to him by any of the parties concerned. If the hon. Gentleman would give him the particulars, he would make inquiries, but he could not give any intimation as to what the result of those inquiries would be. It was probable that the prisoners were convicted under the Vagrancy Act,