§ MR. WILES (Islington, S)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that Frederick M'Ghee and his wife were sentenced each to one month's hard labour at the West London Police Court on Monday last on the charge of begging, and that nothing previous had been known against the couple, and that the husband had served in the late South African War, he will cause inquiries to be made with a view to reducing their sentences.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI understand that the object the magistrate had in 338 view when passing sentence was to deter persons from using their children in the streets for the purpose of obtaining alms, and that he had found lighter punishments ineffective for this purpose. I am making some further inquiry, but on the information at present before me I see no ground for advising any interference with the sentences.
§ MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)Would it not be better to take the children away from their parents in these cases?
§ MR. GLADSTONEI am considering that.