MR. O'KEEFFE (Limerick, City)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he has received complaints from warders of Irish gaols that they have been subjected to annoy ance from the fact of being compelled to wear official prison uniform in public?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIn one instance only does such a complaint appear to have been received by the Irish Government.
MR. MAC NEILL (Donegal, E.)As the system has been instituted only by the regime of the right hon. Gentleman, will he, as head of the Prisons Board, give directions for the discontinuance of it, and allow the warders to wear ordinary clothes when away on their holidays?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have nothing to add to my answer.
§ DR. KENNY (Cork, S.)Might I ask the Home Secretary what is the custom in England. Are the prison officials compelled to wear their uniforms when not on duty?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI answered that question the other day. I said that the warders of convict prisoners were under such a rule.