§ DR. TANNERI beg to ask the Chief Secretary a question of which I have given him private notice. I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman the direct question whether the prisoner Mrs. Montagu is required to wear the prison dress? I find from the reports of what took place yesterday, when a question on the subject was asked, that the right hon. Gentleman's reply was not clearly understood.
§ MR. JACKSONI am sorry if I did not make my meaning clear—I thought I had done so. I read the Rule 28, under which power is given to the General Prisons Board to allow a prisoner to wear his own dress on application being made for that purpose. A petition to the Board from Mrs. Montagu to be allowed to wear her own dress was presented to the Board, and the Board saw no reason for making an exception in her case, and gave permission.
§ DR. TANNERBut, Sir, is Mrs. Montagu now wearing her own clothes, or is she wearing the prison dress? I really must press for a direct answer. I find that different papers take different views of the fact. Is this prisoner wearing the prison dress or not?
§ MR. JACKSONI have already twice said Mrs. Montagu applied to be allowed to wear her own dress, and permission was given.
§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAMWill the right hon. Gentleman order that Mrs. Montagu shall be treated like any ordinary prisoner?
§ MR. JACKSONI stated yesterday that no exception had been made in the case of Mrs. Montagu.