§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War by whose direction, and under what prison rule, fifty-nine uncharged and untried prisoners have been taken from Richmond Barracks, Dublin, and after tea and biscuits at 3.30 p.m. on Friday fortnight given three biscuits, 12 ozs. of bully beef, and a morsel of cheese as ration to last until one o'clock the following day; kept standing in the hot sun until five o'clock; then marched to North Wall; put on board a boat amongst cattle in a space 10 yds. long by 4 ft. wide; given one bucket of drinking water for fifty-nine men; left twelve hours with no water; at Holyhead crowded into a train, eight in each compartment constructed to hold four; kept so for twelve hours with armed guards to prevent ventilation; at Victoria Station, during a delay of two hours forty-five minutes, refused permission to get refreshment at their own expense; whether many were sick from hunger and this treatment; whether the Government accept responsibility for this treatment of uncharged and untried prisoners; whether other such prisoners have been and are being treated similarly; whether he is aware that the food in Lewes Detention Barracks is inferior in quality, inadequate for the maintenance of health, and served offensively in dirty vessels; and whether uncharged and untried prisoners in this and all other places of detention will be allowed to provide themselves at their own expense with tobacco and newspapers?
§ Mr. TENNANTI should hesitate to believe that what is stated in the first half of this question is any other than an exaggeration. The Government certainly did not desire that there should be any avoidable discomfort. As regards Lewes I may say that various restrictions originally imposed on prisoners have now been modified.