§ MR. CAINE (Bradford, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the present method of testing the bona fides of persons offering themselves for hail at the North London Police Court, as disclosed before Mr. Justice Mathew in the case of Richard Hall, he will take steps to insure the adoption of such procedure in all Police Courts and police stations as will prevent any such mistake as was disclosed in the case of Richard Hall; whether he is now aware that Richard Hall, although protesting that he had been personated by some person unknown and was being wrongfully imprisoned, was nevertheless imprisoned without any opportunity being given to him of proving the truth of his story before any Court or Judge; and whether, in view of the fact that Richard Hall was wrongfully imprisoned as a Crown debtor from the loth March, 1893, to the 21st April, 1893, any compensation will be given to Richard Hall?
§ MR. ASQUITHFrom the inquiries which I have made, it appears that the case of Hall is unique, no similar instance being known to have occurred of a mistake in the identification of bail. This appears to show that the existing practice has worked satisfactorily, but the case of Hall undoubtedly shows a possibility of abuse which ought to be guarded against, and I am considering the best means to be adopted for the purpose. Since notice was given of the question, I have received a Memorial from Hall's solicitors, accompanied by affidavits in which all the circumstances are gone into and a claim for compensation is set up. The matter requires and will receive careful examination, and I am not yet in a position to give a final reply.