MR. BAETLEY (Islington, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a case of a little boy named Thomas King, aged 12, who has been sent to prison with hard labour for a month by Mr. Bros, the Magistrate at Dalston; and whether, considering the tender years of the boy, he will either recommend a release, or, to prevent the ill effects of his being in prison so long, send him instead to an industrial school?
§ THE SECRETAEY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS,) Birmingham, E.Yes, Sir; my attention has been called to the facts of the case. The boy was convicted 12 months ago of doing malicious injury to property, and was imprisoned for 21 days. On that occasion he gave his age as 14, and was described by the learned Magistrate as a sturdy young fellow. The present conviction is for throwing stones at a train, which is a serious offence. I have no power to send the boy to an industrial school. I do-not feel justified in interfering with the sentence, which is imprisonment without hard labour in default of paying the fine imposed.