§ MR. JACOBY (Derbyshire, Mid)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has had his attention drawn to the case of a farm labourer named Kelsey, who was sentenced to three weeks' imprisonment at Belper Petty Sessions for stealing three pennyworth of milk; whether he is aware that Kelsey stated that he took the milk because he had two little boys very ill, and that he had been out of work for some time; and whether he will consider the circumstances of the case, and remit the sentence?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI have inquired into this case, and am informed by the Justices that this man had been convicted of larceny 10 weeks previously, and sentenced to pay a fine, and the Justices refused to impose a fine on a second conviction for a similar charge of stealing from the master in whose employ he was. The depositions do not contain the statement made in the second paragraph. I see no reason to interfere with the discretion of the Justices in dealing with the case.