§ MR. LEA (St. Pancras, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that convict No. Y 319, William Buffton Norris, is still detained at Parkhurst Convict Prison, although his sentence expired in December last, and his conduct during his imprisonment has been uniformly good; and if he will state on what grounds this man is not discharged to ticket-of-leave at once, seeing that his relatives are capable and eager to provide for him, no matter what his physical or mental state may be alleged to be by the prison authorities.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe hon. Member is mistaken as to the date of the expiry of this convict's sentence. The sentence does not expire until June 19th, 1908; and it has been impossible for me, 935 in view of the convict's mental condition, to release him on ticket-of-leave. I have, however, a few days ago received an application from the convict's wife for his removal to a private asylum, and, if satisfactory arrangements for this purpose can be made, I hope to be able to allow his conditional discharge.