§ MR. H. J. WILSON (York, W.R., Holmfirth)asked the President of the Local Government Board, If he is now able to say if it is a fact that a boy named Page was in the month of May kept in solitary confinement for 17 days in the cells of the workhouse at Rich- 939 mond, Surrey; for what offence he was confined, and by whose authority; whether the case was duly entered in the punishment book; whether the book was duly laid before the Board of Guardians at each of its meetings during the continuance of the punishment; whether the Board sanctioned this punishment before it was inflicted, or condoned it after it was inflicted; whether such punishment was legal; and, what steps he has taken, or intends to take, in reference to this matter?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)I have made inquiry respecting the case of the boy Page referred to. It appears that frequent complaints had been made as to the constant habit of the boy of annoying other inmates of the Richmond Workhouse both by day and night. For instance, there were complaints of his stripping the bed clothes from the old men when in bed, taking their crutches away from them in the daytime, and stealing into the sick wards and robbing the patients of their milk and other portions of their diet. It was in consequence of this that the boy was placed in one of the separate compartments in the vagrant wards, and was kept there for about 17 days. The master acted on his own authority in the matter, except that he reported verbally to the Guardians that the boy was very troublesome, and was told to keep him apart from the other inmates, and to do the best he could with him. No entry of the case was made in the punishment book, the master considering that the boy was not placed in the ward as a punishment, but simply to keep him from annoying the other inmates. When the facts were brought under the knowledge of the Guardians they considered the course which had been taken altogether irregular, and the master was reprimanded by them. It appears to me that there was no legal authority for the course adopted by the master in this case; and he has been severely censured by the Local Government Board, and has been warned by them as to his future conduct.