therefore, of the concurrent sentence of im prisonment is that the prisoner is, at the minimum, three years two months and about nineteen B. is days similarly in prison sentenced instead to of three concurrent years. terms of four years' penal servitutle and six months' imprisonment. He serves six months in separate confinement and is then removed to a convict prison where he earns remission of one fourth of the remaining term of three and a half years' penal servi tude. The effect of the concurrent sentence is that he is, at the minimum, three years one month and about fifteen days in prison instead of three years. LIFE SENTENCE. With regard to life sentences, to which, of course, the rules as to remission do not apply, the rule now is that each case is specially submitted to the Secretary of State after twenty years, and considered on its merits; but no promise is given to the con vict of release at that period, and in certain cases, where a death sentence has been com muted to penal servitude for life, the license has not been granted after twenty years. THE LADY FRIEND. It is not generally known that there are
only two ladies employed by the Scotland Yard police authorities, to visit " ticket of leave" or licensed prisoners. These ladies have quite a difficult task to perform and have sometimes to go into the slums, and sometimes to the West End of London. Therefore their dress is always neat and lady like. Nobody knows who they are. Some times they go alone, sometimes together. They call to see these prisoners as friends. It can easily be understood that if a girl, employed as a servant, had to obtain an afternoon off to go to Scotland Yard, or was seen going to a police station in the neigh bourhood, to report herself, it might very quickly come to the ears of her mistress that she was a convict, thereby losing her her situation; but no mistress objects to the "lady friend," who is well bred and well educated, calling on her servant; but on the contrary is pleased to find her servant knows such a highly desirable lady. There are no rules and regulations concerning the duties of the " lady friend " as there are for police men and other recognized officers, and there fore little or nothing is known of these ladies, except by those who are immediately con cerned in their enquiries.
