§ MR. DAVITTI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if it is a practice in Irish prisons, when misdemeanants are re-arrested at the prison gates on previous warrants, to place them at the commencement of each new sentence on the lowest dietary 1269 scale; and, if such practice obtains, whether he can see his way to recommend such a change in the rules as will enable such prisoners to obtain, during a virtually continuous imprisonment, the dietary privileges which they have been awarded for compliance with prison regulations in the first sentence?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe general practice is as stated in the Question; but governors of prisons in such cases bring the facts before the medical officers, who have the power, where they consider it necessary, to direct that any such prisoner be placed on the diet which he was receiving immediately previous to re-arrest, or such other diet as the prisoner's health may require. The whole subject, I may add, is now engaging the consideration of the Government.