HC Deb 04 August 1877 vol 236 cc442-5

Bill, as amended, considered.

MR. A. MOORE

moved, in page 22, after Clause 49, to insert the following Clause:—

(Grand jury stall contribute to maintenance of children in reformatories.)

"From and after the passing of this Act, the grand jury of each county in Ireland shall he bound to contribute towards the support of all children detained in reformatory or industrial schools who shall be natives of such county."

The hon. Member said, that the present state of the law was this—that the Government allowed a capitation grant to every child detained in a reformatory or industrial school, and the Grand Juries were empowered to give a supplemental grant. He would submit that the Government grant was either enough, or it was not enough. If it was enough, their permission to Grand Juries to grant supplemental grants ought to be struck off, and if it was not enough, it should be compulsory on Grand Juries to grant this aid. There were three or four Grand Juries who persistently refused to give such grants. In his own county the Grand Jury refused to give this aid, and consequently destitute children had nowhere to go but the workhouse. The simple request of the ratepayers to the Grand Juries was that they should pay this rate of 2s. 6d. per head for the children in these industrial schools. By that means the child would be removed out of the workhouse, where he was costing about 3s. l0d. per week, to an industrial school, where he could be taught a trade, and thus be made a useful, self-supporting member of society.

Clause brought up, and read the first time.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the said Clause be now read a second time."

SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACH

said, he had been unable to ascertain in how many cases the Grand Jury had declined to exercise the power of giving a supplemental grant. It would be a very stringent measure to make the giving of such a grant compulsory, and he hoped the hon. Member would be satisfied with having called attention to the subject, so that the Grand Juries might be induced to give the grant in cases where they did not do so at present.

Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.

MR. PARNELL

moved, after Clause 52, to insert the following Clauses:—

(Surgeon shall visit sick prisoners.)

The surgeon shall visit the prison at least twice in every week, and oftener if necessary, and shall see every prisoner in the course of the week. He shall daily visit the prisoners, if any, confined in punishment cells, and he shall visit daily, and oftener if necessary, such of the prisoners as are sick, and, when necessary, shall direct any prisoners to be removed to the infirmary.

(Surgeon shall keep journal of state of prisoners, and enter therein result of his inspection of prison.)

The surgeon shall enter day by day, in his journal to be kept in the prison, an account of the state of every such prisoner, the name of his disease, a description of the medicines and diet, and any other treatment which he may order for such prisoner. The surgeon shall, once at least in every three months, inspect every part of the prison, and enter in his journal the result of each inspection, recording therein any observations he may think fit to make on any want of cleanliness, drainage, warmth, or ventilation, any bad quality of the provisions, any insufficiency of clothing or bedding, any insufficiency in the quantity or defect in the quality of the water, or any cause which may affect the health of the prisoners.

(As to prisoners of unsound mind.)

Whenever the surgeon has reason to believe that the mind of a prisoner is or is likely to be injuriously affected by the discipline or treatment, he shall report the case in writing to the gaoler, together with such directions as he may think proper, and he shall call the attention of the chaplain to any prisoner who appears to require his special notice.

(Surgeon shall not perform serious operation without assistance.)

The surgeon may, in any case of danger or difficulty, which appears to him to require it, call in additional medical assistance, and no serious operation shall be performed without previous consultation being held with another medical practitioner, except under circumstances not admitting of delay, such circumstances to be recorded in his journal.

(In case of death of prisoner surgeon shall enter particulars in his journal.)

The surgeon shall, forthwith on the death of any prisoner, enter in his journal the following particulars, videlicet: at what time the deceased was taken ill; when the illness was first communicated to the surgeon; the nature of the disease; when the prisoner died; and an account of the appearances after death; together with any special remarks that appear to him requisite.

(Gaoler shall keep punishment book.)

The gaoler shall enter in a separate book called the punishment book a statement of the nature of any offence for which he has awarded punishment to be inflicted on any prisoner, with the addition of the name of the offender, the date of the offence, and the amount of punishment inflicted.

No prisoner shall be kept at labour for more than ten hours in each day (exclusive of meals).

(Gaoler shall report cases of insanity to Visiting Committee and call the attention of the surgeon to any prisoner who appears out of health.)

The gaolers shall, without delay, report to the Visiting Committee of Justices any ease of insanity or apparent insanity occurring among the prisoners. He shall also, without delay, call the attention of the surgeon to any prisoner whose state of mind or body appears to require attention, and shall carry into effect the directions of the surgeon respecting alterations of the discipline or treatment of any such prisoner. The gaoler shall notify to the surgeon without delay the illness of any prisoner, and shall deliver to him daily a list of such prisoners as complain of illness, or are removed to the infirmary, or confined to their cells by illness, and he shall deliver to the chaplain and surgeon lists of such prisoners as are confined in punishment cells.

After Clause 53, to insert the following Clause:—

(Coroner shall hold inquest on prisoner who has died in prison.)

It shall be the duty of the coroner having jurisdiction in the place to which the prison belongs, to hold an inquest on the body of every prisoner who may die within the prison. Where it is practicable sufficient time shall be allowed before the holding of the inquest to allow the attendance of the nearest relative of the deceased, and in no case shall any officer of the prison be a juror on such inquest.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

said, that he believed that most, if not all, of these duties were now performed; but he did not object to these clauses, especially as they were part of the English statute law on the subject.

Clauses verbally amended, and added to the Bill.

Bill read the third time, and passed.