§ MR. HOGAN () Tipperary, MidI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been attracted to recent cases in which the sentence of death was passed with all the prescribed formalities, although there was obviously no intention of carrying it into effect; and whether he is aware that when such cases occur in the Criminal Courts of the Colonies the presiding judge simply records the capital sentence?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTYes, Sir, I am, of course, aware of all the recent cases in which the sentence of death has been passed with all the prescribed formalities, although there was obviously no intention of carrying it into effect. The whole subject is one of great importance, and is engaging my anxious attention.
§ MR. MACNEILL () Donegal, S.Is the right honourable Gentleman aware that the Attorney-General has admitted that in former days the judges had ample power to simply record the sentence?
§ THE HOME SECRETARYI am not aware that the Attorney-General said anything of the kind, or that judges have the power either here or in the colonies to record the sentence in a case of murder.
§ MR. MACNEILLIt has been done in the case of capital convictions.