HC Deb 30 July 1896 vol 43 cc1042-3
MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the character of the offences for which Dr. Jameson and his companions were convicted, he will consider the advisability of having them treated in prison as misdemeanants of the first class, so that they may be allowed the same privileges as to wearing their own clothes, dietary, literature, and visits, as was granted to Colonel Rhodes and other prisoners convicted of similar offences when imprisoned in Pretoria by the Government of the Transvaal Republic?

MR. J. F. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the character of the offence of which Dr. Jameson and his coadjutors have been convicted, and the absence of any criminal motive in the proceedings that led to their conviction, he will order that during the period of their detention they be treated as political prisoners?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THEHOME DEPARTMENT (Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, Blackpool

Under the Prison Act of 1865, it is the sentencing Court alone which has power to order that a person convicted of misdemeanour, and not sentenced to hard labour, should be treated as a first-class misdemeanant. In this case the Court decided to make no such order, and the prisoners are being treated in the ordinary way by law. The Secretary of State has no legal power whatever to alter the definite direction of the Court. Whether such an alteration of the conditions of imprisonment ought in this ease to be effected by the exercise of the Royal prerogative is a matter on which I am not in a position to make a statement at present.

MR. G. WYNDHAM (Dover)

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the fact, that as I am informed, gentlemen bearing Her Majesty's commission automatically forfeited their commission unless intervention did take place. [Cries of"Order"!]

* MR. SPEAKER

That does not arise out of the question on the Paper.

MR. T. M. HEAEY (Louth, N.)

asked whether President Kruger did not treat his prisoners as first-class misdemeanants?

* SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY

was understood to say that he did not know.

SIR ROBERT REID (Dumfries Burghs)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Her Majesty's Government intend to take any steps for the purpose of bringing to justice persons who have prepared or furthered the recent raid of Dr. Jameson, without risking their own lives?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER,) Isle of Wight

I must refer my hon. and learned Friend to the answer I gave in reference to this matter early in the Session, and to which I have on other occasions adhered. I must decline to give any information as to any proceedings which I propose to direct, or as to persons against whom any proceedings may be taken.