MR. JUSTIN HUNTLT M'CARTHY (for Mr. DEASY)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true that a man named Cashman was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, under the Vagrancy Act, for having applied for one night's shelter in the Kanturk Workhouse; whether he had ever before made a similar application; whether the Local Government Board will remonstrate with the Board of Guardians for having ordered Cashman to be prosecuted; and, whether the Government will consider the propriety of obtaining his immediate release?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe prisoner is a strong young man, well able to work; but he is a recognized tramp. He was convicted under that section of the Vagrancy Act which makes it an offence to go from one Union to another for the purpose of obtaining relief. This is what Cashman was doing. His case seems just such a one as the law is intended to meet; and the Local Government Board think it desirable, with the view of preventing vagrancy, that Guardians should put it in force in proper cases. There does not appear to be any ground for remitting the sentence.