§ 31. Mr. GINNELLasked the Home Secretary if he will explain why those Irish political convicts at Lewes who were promised facilities for pursuing their literary work, are still denied such facilities, and allowed only the books in the prison library except on the condition of forfeiting them; since this amounts to an absolute bar in the case of rare and expensive books in the Irish language, whether the rule will be modified in such cases; and, having regard to the trivial value of sacks or carpets that a few literary men can make, whether they will be allowed to devote all their time to their literary pursuits?
§ Sir G. CAVEIn no case have facilities for literary work been refused. The ordinary rule is that books sent for the use of an individual prisoner afterwards become part of the prison library; but exceptions will be made to this rule in the case of rare or expensive books. I cannot modify the prison rules so as to relieve Trish prisoners from prison work.