§ Mr. SLOANasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the escape of a nun from St. Mary's Roman Catholic Convent, East Bergholt, Suffolk, on 15th February last, and to the fact that force was used to compel her to return to the convent; whether he will consider the advisability of granting the prayer of the memorial recently presented to the House, signed by 750,000 inhabitants of the United Kingdom, asking for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the necessity, if any, for Government inspection into all such institutions; and, if not, what other steps he proposes to take in the matter to secure the liberty of such inmates who desire their freedom?
§ Mr. T. L. CORBETTBefore the right hon. Gentleman replies, may I ask whether he has made any inquiry as to the remarkable circumstances attending this case?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI have made inquiry, and have received a full report from the Chief Constable of East Suffolk, from which it appears that no attempt was made to use force to bring the lady back to the convent, and that she did not, in fact, return. Two sisters overtook her when on the way to the railway station, and tried to induce her to go back with them, but she refused to do so. The Chief Constable tells me that the reports of this case published in the Press were of a garbled and sensational nature. There is no ground for any further action on my part.
§ Mr. SLOANThe right hon. Gentleman replied upon information received from the Chief Constable; is he prepared to accept documentary evidence given at an interview with the young lady herself in regard to the circumstances as stated in the question, and may I ask whether, in view of this private interview, he will make further inquiries into the matter and not take the report he has received?
§ Mr. GLADSTONECertainly I shall be prepared to consider any information, written or otherwise, which the hon. Member may have, but I think that the report of the Chief Constable has been founded on information from the lady herself?
§ Mr. SLOANThe statement of the Chief Constable is altogether different from the information which the lady has given herself.
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI only stated that such was my impression.
§ Mr. PATRICK O'BRIENHas it come to the right hon. Gentleman's knowledge, and is it a fact that the two ladies who followed this lady, who escaped at night, only asked her to go back in order that they might provide her with proper clothing and money to go to her home in London, and whether it is not a fact that neither the two ladies nor the lady who was running away had any money to pay for her fare to London, and it was only owing to the kindness of the station-master that she was able to travel to London with a ticket he gave her.
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI really cannot say what the two ladies concerned said to the third lady, but I know that the lady who left the convent had no money, and that money was found by the stationmaster.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to receive documentary evidence in this matter from the Orange Lodges of Belfast?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI am quite satisfied with the information I have at present, but if the hon. Member gives me any information which casts doubt upon that, or will throw fresh light upon the matter, I shall be glad to give it the attention it deserves.