§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEI wish to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland a question of which I have given private notice— whether the re-arrest of Miss Gladys Evans in Dublin was due to the fact that she, being a convict released on ticket-of-leave, failed to report herself to the prison authorities; whether it is not a fact that she was arrested for precisely the same reason a fortnight ago, and owing to her refusal of food was discharged by the magistrate before whom she came for trial seven days later; and what object the authorities have in view in persisting in these futile arrests?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMiss Evans is a convict released before the completion of her sentence on a ticket-of-leave, which imposed on her certain conditions, some expressed in the licence itself and some of statutory obligation. Amongst these conditions was a duty to report her place of abode and any proposed change. Miss Evans not only has never notified her address, but has on two occasions attempted to leave it without acquainting the authorities with either her intention or her place of destination. On both the occasions of her re-arrest she was actually on the point of departure. The authorities obviously cannot allow a convict to pay no attention to her terms of release, and the only course is either to revoke Miss Evans's ticket-of-leave altogether or to bring her before the magistrate.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEIs the obligation to report a change of address a statutory one or one imposed by regulation; and if the latter, will the right hon. Gentleman, in the circumstances, see that it should be abrogated?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo. Whichever way it is, I could not recommend its abrogation. 1444 The most essential matter in these things is that we should know where the convict is about to go. If she would give us that information her re-arrest would not be necessary.