§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) will he explain why a letter written by Martin Malony, at present confined in Maryborough Prison, to his parents from Mountjoy Prison on the 8th of December last, in which he describes the dangerous state of his health, was suppressed by the prison authorities; (2) whether Malony had been for many months in hospital in Mountjoy Prison before his 909 removal to Maryborough, also why the, Maryborough Prison authorities refused Malony permission to describe the state of his health in a letter to his parents written on the 8th instant; (3) what is the present condition of Malony's health; and (4) on what grounds or by what prison rule was a good conduct prisoner refused permission to make known to his parents the dangerous condition of his health?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe letter referred to in the first paragraph was not forwarded because it contained a passage which was directly at variance with the fact regarding the condition of Malony's health. The prisoner was told he could write another letter instead, and he did so. He was in hospital in Mountjoy Prison for about four months before his removal to Maryborough, and the authorities of the latter prison gave him permission to describe the true state of his health in the letter written by him on the 8th January, The condition of the prisoner is in no way dangerous. He is suffering from dyspepsia, but not of an aggravated type. He has no organic disease, and his appetite is good. The rule under which action was taken in reference to the letters of this prisoner, prescribes that every letter to or from a prisoner shall be read by the Governor and Chaplain, and if the contents be objectionable it shall not be forwarded, or the objectionable part shall be erased according to discretion.