MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is true as stated in the Press that upon Mrs. Montagu's removal from Dublin to Derry, she was conveyed in a first-class carriage; and, if so, who paid for it?
§ MR. JACKSONI have no knowledge of the circumstances.
§ DR. TANNERI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether Mrs. Montagu has been compelled to assume the prison garb?
§ MR. JACKSONUnder a general rule for local prisons, No. 28, which I believe was presented to Parliament in a Paper, No. 99, of the Session of 1889, an amended rule was made as follows:—
A convicted criminal prisoner shall be provided with a complete prison dress and shall be required to wear it unless the General Prisons Board shall, by order in writing, otherwise direct, on the grounds that the wearing of such dress is not necessary for the purpose of health, or personal cleanliness.The General Prisons Board report that application having been made on be- 1577 half of this prisoner, they did not consider there was anything to justify her being treated in an exceptional way.
§ DR. TANNERAm I to understand that only in the case of political offenders, who are opposed to the present Government, are the prisoners condemned to wear the prison garments, while forgers and murderers of their children are permitted to wear their own clothes?
§ MR. JACKSONNo, Sir; I have already pointed out that the Prisons Board saw no reason for according exceptional treatment to this prisoner.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)Was not this rule made to suit the convenience of hon. Members below the Gangway when they were in prison?
§ DR. TANNERIt was made to suit the convenience of the Belfast forgers.