§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the case of Jane Street, of Rutland Street, Derby, a married woman with six children, who was sentenced at the Derby Town Hall, on the 20th of November, to one month's imprisonment for giving a wrong address in registering a recently born infant; whether there is evidence that her motive was a dread of the vaccination officer; whether the above was her only offence; and, whether, considering the needs of her young family, he can see his way to advise the remission of the remainder of her sentence?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (MR. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I am informed by the Justices of Derby that Mrs. Street was sentenced to pay a fine of £1 and 23s. costs, or in default to be imprisoned for one month without hard labour. Her motive was to evade the provisions of the Vaccination Acts. Both she and her husband have for some time evaded those Acts. She was liable for her offence to a fine of £10, or, on indictment, to penal servitude for seven years. No application was made to the magistrates to direct payment by instalments or at a future date. The woman herself declared she would not pay the fine, but would go to prison, and used threatening language to the vaccination officer when she left the Court. Under these circumstances, the magistrates are opposed to any remission of the sentence, and I do not feel justified in advising any interference with their decision.