§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the circumstances under which Joseph Farrington was committed to Ipswich Gaol, on Thursday, December 13, at the Hales-worth Petty Sessions, in default of paying a fine of £1 and 11s. costs; whether there was any evidence against Farrington beyond the fact that he was accidentally in company with the co-defendant Calver, whose dog had killed a rabbit; whether it is true that Farrington, although he had the money in his pocket to pay the fine, elected to go to prison as a protest; and, whether, considering the circumstances of the case, he will take such steps as will secure the immediate and complete remission of the penalty?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.), in reply, said, in this case, also, an inquiry was being made; but he had not yet received a Report from the magistrates.