§ MR. E. M'HUGH (Armagh, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he it aware that on Monday, the 20th November, at Portadown, a woman named Jane Sewell, 57 years of age, who had never been charged before, was arrested by the police on the charge of stealing a herring from a barrel outside the premises of a man named Courteney, and was sentenced by Mr. J. C. Fulton, J.P., to three months' imprisonment; and whether he will inquire into the circumstances of the case, and consider whether the sentence might be remitted?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (Mr. J. BRYCE, Aberdeen, S.)I may perhaps be allowed to reply in the absence of the Chief Secretary. I am informed that on the date mentioned a complaint was made to the police that the woman referred to had attempted to steal bacon from a shop, and that the police, who watched her, subsequently detected her stealing a herring. The case was brought before the Magistrate named, who ordered the woman to enter into sureties to be of good behaviour, or to be imprisoned for three months, and being unable to give the sureties she went to gaol. The proper course to adopt is for the prisoner, or some person interested 629 on her behalf, to memorialise the Lord Lieutenant, who will direct further inquiry to be made into the matter, which certainly seems to deserve inquiry.