§ MR. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has. been drawn to a case in which James Younger, of 44, Bathley Street. Nottingham, was accused of cruelty to a hired horse on 23rd September, 1900; whether he is aware that the case resulted in each side having to pay its own costs, although 376 the defendant was fined 40s.; whether a petition and other representations have been made to the Home Office on behalf of the accused, making allegations against the character of the evidence; and whether he will cause further inquiry into this matter to be made.
§ (Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) This case came before my predecessor on James Younger's own application in September 1901, and inquiry was made with b regard to it. It appeared that the defendant had been sentenced to imprisonment by the Court of Summary Jurisdiction and had appealed to Quarter Sessions, where the conviction was confirmed, but a fine of 40s. was substituted for the sentence of imprisonment. No grounds were found for intervention on the part of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. Again, in August last, attention was drawn to the case by a petition on the defendant's behalf, and I carefully examined all the representations. But I saw no reason to differ from the opinion of my predecessor that the Secretary of State could not interfere; and I do not think that there is any further inquiry that could usefully be made.