The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-03 00:00:00

CHILDREN IN ESSEX.

Dr. BOWRING wished to draw the attention of
the Right Honourable Baronet the Secretary of State
for the Home Department to the following state-
ment, which had appeared in the Times the
2d of January two children, the son and daughter
of a poor man named Lee, who, for the last
three years, had occupied a cottage in the parish 'of
Chingford, in Essex, for which he paid 2s. 6d. a week,
were detected by the foreman of a person named Green
picking up turnips. They were taken by the man to
Chingford, for the purpose of being given into
the charge of a police-constable, and .to Waltham
for the purpose of getting a magistrate to hear the case.
Mr. Preston, a magistrate, heard the case, and before
him the foreman swore that the turnips were worth 3d.
The children were convicted in the penalty and costs,
amounting to 11. Os. 6d. In default of payment
they were to be imprisoned "for fourteen days
in Ilford gaol. They were taken there in the
course of a day on -which "a severe frost prevailed,
fifteen or sixteen miles. On the. following day they
were liberated, in consequence of their' father having
borrowed the money and paid the fine and expenses.
He (Dr. Bowring) had been infofmed by the father and
mother of the children, that they were ready to
swear that from the Saturday to the Sunday
the children were released, they had nothing to
eat save a two-pound loaf. He was also informed that
on the following day, the 4th of January, a man and his
daughter were convicted by the same magistrate of steal-
ing a few coals, which were valued at one penny. They
were released from custody, however, as the grand jury
ignored the bill. Now, he wished to know whether the
conduct of this magistrate had excited the attention of
the Right Hon. Baronet ?

Sir GEORGE GREY said, in consequence of the
notice of the Hon. and Learned Member, he had caused
an inquiry into the circumstances as detailed, which
were similar to those which had appeared in the nevi s-
papers.—(Flear. hear.) In the Times of to•da_v,
however, the Honourable Gentleman would find a
letter from the Rev. Mr. Reed, the Rector of Ching
ford, which gave a very different version of the matter.
The only information he had been able to obtain, in ad-
diticn to that furnished by the Rev. Mr. Reed, was derive d
from the Commissioners of Police, within whose limits
the case had occurred. These statements went to show
that the gentleman who first directed attention to the
subject was mistaken, and that therefore the occur
rence had been gr, atly exaggerated. It appeared
that the ages of the children were ten and thirteen--
that they were convicted of stealing turnips, and were
sentenced and fined in the way mentioned. There
were statements in the report of the Corn
missioners with respect to the conduct of the
parents which he did not wish to read ; it appeared
however that they were gipsies, and that the father was
the owner of a pony, so that they were not in the state
of helpless distress alluded to. He should feel happy to
place the report in the hands of the lion. Member ; arid
on reading it he could not fail to ba of opinion that the
statement was highly coloured, and consequently far
from correct.