§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked when the Order was made directing the prison authorities in Ireland to treat two or more warrants for different offences by the same person issued by Irish town Courts, in pursuance of the Towns Improvement Act, 1854, as one offence, and directing the term of imprisonment to be that named in the longest warrant only; whether under this Order it is possible for a person to commit numerous offences against the Act in one week, but only to be punished for one in the end; and, if this be so, whether the Government will consider the propriety of paying the cost of transit of these prisoners themselves in future, seeing that at present the towns have to bear this cost?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed that no such Order as that referred to has been made to the prison authorities in Ireland. When a number of warrants are lodged with a prisoner, the Governor has only power to detain the prisoner for the period named in the longest warrant, unless the sentences in the warrants are marked to follow by the committing Court. In regard to these latter cases the Irish Government were advised that in cases of offences under the Towns Improvement Act where fines are imposed with imprisonment in default of payment, there is no power to inflict consecutive sentences. The expenses of conveying to prison all prisoners from the time when the committal order is made are defrayed from funds provided by Parliament and not from local funds.