MR. O'CONNOR POWERasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he will state on what grounds a visiting order received recently by Joseph Melody, who was about to visit his brother, Patrick Melody, a prisoner confined at Portland Convict Prison, was cancelled; and, whether it is true that Kate Gleeson, cousin to O'Meara Condon, a prisoner confined in the same prison, applied for an order to visit him five or six weeks ago, and that no reply has yet been sent to her application?
MR. ASSHETON CROSSIn reference to the first portion of the hon. Member's Question, I have made inquiries into the matter, and I find that Joseph Melody wrote to know whether the time when he could make a visit to his brother Patrick was due; and, on ascertaining that it was, the Governor sent for Patrick Melody, and asked if he wished to receive a visit from his brother. On his saying he did, an order was sent; but, before that order was received, Patrick Melody committed two offences against prison discipline; and, although nearly half the punishment had been inflicted, the privilege of seeing his brother was suspended during the whole time that the punishment lasted. That, however, would soon end, and the visit would take place in the usual way. With regard to the second part of the Question, there seems some difficulty about the matter. I am informed that a letter was received, addressed to Edward Shore and signed Kate Glee-son, who stated that she was a cousin of the prisoner; that she had just come from America, and was anxious to visit him. The Governor sent for Shore, and asked him if he had a cousin of that name and if he wished to receive a visit from her? Shore seemed astonished and doubtful on the subject. The Governor, therefore, handed the note to him to see if he could recognize the writing. The next day the prisoner returned the note, and said he declined to receive the visit, as the note must be intended for some other prisoner of that name. As there was no other prisoner of the same name, the matter then ended.