§ MR. ROWNTREE (Scarborough)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether sentences of three months' imprisonment with hard labour, passed under "The Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887," on W. Dynes, P. Collins, and J. O'Brien, were, on appeal to the County Court Judge at Ennis, on the 19th instant, increased to six months in each case; whether a sentence of three months' imprisonment with hard labour, passed on T. Flannigan, was also increased, on appeal at Ennis on the 21st instant, to six months; and, whether any modification of any kind was introduced into any of the four sentences so extended?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRE (Bradford, Central)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that Question, may I ask him whether he still adheres to the statement that Mr. Blane's sentence has not been increased? I may say that I have received the most positive assurance from a person who saw the warrant that the original sentence of four months was without hard labour.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The right hon. Gentleman's statement on a question of fact is one which I do not like to traverse. He is aware that I made the statement to which he refers on Friday, in answer to a Question which was put without Notice. I did it on the strength of a Report of the Sessional Crown Solicitor, which I happened to have been reading that afternoon. I feel sure that that gentleman would not 905 have intentionally misrepresented the facts; but as he was writing without any view to a Question or controversy upon the point, he may have made a slip, and I will at once inquire into the matter. As to the Question on the Paper, I am informed that the facts are as stated, with the exception that the date in Flannigan's case was the 20th. No modification appears to have been introduced into any of these increased sentences. The hon. Member is doubtless aware that the crime dealt with by the Court was the odious Boycotting of Hannah Connell.