§ MR. T. SNAPE (Lancaster, S.E., Heywood)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has noticed the sentence passed by the Blackpool Bench of magistrates last week condemning a woman named Mary Ann Kirkham, charged with begging in the street, to 28 days' imprisoment with hard labour for the offence; and, whether he can mitigate this sentence by reducing the term of imprisonment?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. H. H. ASQUITH, Fife, E.)I have received a report from the Clerk to the Justices, in which it appears that Mary Kirkham has three times before been convicted of disorderly conduct, and sentenced to imprisonment. In these circumstances I do not propose to interfere with her punishment.