§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary if he is aware that a young 2361W labourer named William Thompson was recently sent to prison by the Blyth magistrates for six months for having in his possession a primitive machine capable of transmitting but not receiving wireless messages, that there was not the least evidence that this man had any motive hostile to the country, that he said the instrument was used in experiments for directing the movements of a model yacht from the shore by aerial waves, and that the magistrate said the prisoner's ability was a danger to the country; and if he will consider the case with a view to a reduction of the sentence?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have seen only a newspaper report of the case. The prisoner appears to have been guilty of a direct and serious contravention of one of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, and it is necessary that such offences should be dealt with severely; but if any representation is made to me by the prisoner or his friends showing extenuating circumstances in his favour it will of course be my duty to consider it.