§ MR. P. A. TAYLORasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is true that Luke Hills, sentenced by the Cuckfield Bench of Magistrates to three months' imprisonment without hard labour for non-payment of damages for breach of contract, was for three weeks subjected to hard labour; and, if so, by what authority?
MR. ASSHETON CROSSSir, the sentence of the magistrates was three months' imprisonment without hard labour. He regretted extremely to state that in the warrant of commitment the words "hard labour" had been inserted. The prisoner was received at the prison on the 1st of February under the commitment with hard labour, and accordingly he was placed to "hard labour" till the 17th, when the commitment was amended, leaving out "hard labour." The clerk who made the mistake deeply regretted the error committed.