§ Mr. GEORGE ROBERTSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention had been drawn to the case of a car conductor who had been sentenced by the Cardiff stipendiary to six weeks' hard labour for stealing a penny fare; whether he was aware that, if guilty, it was the man's first offence; and whether he would favourably consider taking action to secure a mitigation of the sentence?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI am still making inquiries with regard to this case, which presents difficulties of which I have not yet obtained any satisfactory explanation. If the prisoner was actually guilty I do not think it can be said that the punishment was necessarily excessive merely because the sum stolen was a penny. In such a case all the circumstances have to be considered, and not the mere amount which is the subject of the charge.