MR. MOWBRAY(for Mr. HOWARD VINCENT) (Sheffield, Central)asked Mr. Attorney General, If his attention has been directed to the facts in the Northumberland burglary case, which show that if the English law had admitted of the two innocent men, sentenced in 1879 to penal servitude for life, and only just released, giving evidence on their own behalf, and of their being judicially interrogated as to their proceedings upon the night of the crime, the miscarriage of justice would probably have been averted; and, what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take, promptly, to remove a disability from the law singular to England, Wales, and Ireland, and so disastrous in its consequences?
THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (Sir EDWARD CLARKE)(who replied) said (Plymouth)The case to which the hon. Member refers is only one of many instances which are constantly being called to the attention of the Attorney General with regard to the pressing necessity for a change in the law by permitting prisoners to give evidence. The testimony upon this point to which the Attorney General previously called attention, in urging such a measure upon the House, is being constantly corroborated by cases 853 which occur in the daily practice of the Criminal Law. The hon. Member is aware that the Attorney General made repeated efforts to press forward a Bill to effect this Amendment; and I sincerely hope that the House may be able to deal with the matter early in next Session.