MR. SEELYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a statement in the "Lincolnshire Chronicle" of 31st January, that 500 fisher lads are annually sent to prison by the Grimsby magistrates, many of them having been brought down from the London workhouses and apprenticed to the smackowners, whether they like the work of fishing or not; to a further statement in the "Stamford Mercury" of 21st February, that the
Chain-gang system is still in full operation, a number of lads being every week brought from Grimsby, for trivial offences, chained six or seven together like dogs, and thus driven through the streets of Lincoln;1391 To a further statement in the "Grimsby Herald" of 15th February, that the lads are in many instances cruelly treated, and tell the magistrates that "they prefer the treadmill at Lincoln to the deck of their vessel;" and, whether he will institute an inquiry into these allegations?
MR. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that he had communicated with the magistrates of Great Grimsby as well as with the Local Government Board on this subject: and he had received the following information:—Great Grimsby is one of the most important fishing stations upon the Eastern Coast, and in the fishing trade from that port about 2,000 boys are employed, some, but not the larger part, of whom come from the pauper schools. The justices had informed him that no parish boy was ever apprenticed on a smack until he had had a trial of the work, after which he was taken before the magistrates and asked if he was willing to serve or not, and it was only in the event of his being willing to serve that he was apprenticed, and entered upon his duties. The number of boys charged before the magistrates in the year ending the 1st February, 1873, with absenting themselves from work was 253. Of these 100 were discharged with a reprimand. Of the 153 sent to prison, more than 60 were charged with other offences; such as assault and doing wilful damage. As to the boys being driven chained six or seven together like dogs through the streets of Lincoln, he was informed by the magistrates that the prisoners from Great Grimsby were sent by rail to Lincoln, a distance of 45 miles. The distance from the railway station to the gaol was about a mile, and when a number of prisoners wore sent together in charge of one or two constables it was the custom to connect their handcuffs together by a light chain which weighed 2¾lbs. and was 5 feet in length. This practice was in existence now, he was sorry to hear, because he thought that it was a practice that should only be adopted in cases of great necessity, and he was glad to hear that the arrangement for the future would be to convey the prisoners in proper prison vans. The Holborn Guardians, who had sent a considerable number of these boys to Great Grimsby, on hearing the reports sent down their clerk to make inquiries into the facts. He saw all the 1392 lads from their union who were not actually at sea, and also those who employed them. His report was was favourable as to the treatment of the boys. Other guardians were of opinion that the boys were well treated. The Local Government Board would make full inquiries into the whole matter as to the treatment of the boys, and as to whether the securities provided by the law were adopted. From evidence which he had received he had no doubt that the majority of the boys were well treated, but that in some cases they were treated with severity and cruelty. He would add that his hon. Friend would see that though the reports which had appeared in the local newspapers were grossly exaggerated, yet that there was quite sufficient foundation for making complaints; and he hoped that the inquiry which would be instituted would provide a remedy for the grievance.