HC Deb 16 March 1854 vol 131 cc856-7
MR. FREDERICK PEEL

I wish, Sir, to refer to the conversation which took place a night or two ago on the subject of the appointment of Mr. Stonor to a judgeship in the colony of Victoria, and to state briefly that, in consequence of a Report of an Election Committee of this House, and the statement of the Chairman of that Committee that he considered that Report sustained by the evidence taken before him, the Duke of Newcastle has thought right to decide not to recommend the confirmation of the appointment of Mr. Stonor to that judgeship. There is one point, however, in connection with this case which I wish to notice. The hon. Member for Mayo (Mr. G. H. Moore), in introducing the subject, made some observations upon there having been no Gazette notification in this case, and imputed that the usual course had been departed from to prevent the knowledge of the appointment transpiring. I was unable, at the moment, to explain that circumstance; but I have since ascertained that local appointments must originate with the local Government, and be sent home to this Government for confirmation. There is no warrant, only a despatch, and, therefore, nothing which could have been mentioned in the Gazette. One other circumstance I also wish to mention—that up to within the last week neither myself nor the Duke of Newcastle were aware of the circumstances which have now been made known relative to Mr. Stonor. But, at the same time, it is only just to that gentleman to say, that was not his fault, and the Duke of Newcastle is desirous of exonerating him from being supposed to be the cause of that ignorance on our part. It appears that when he addressed to the Colonial Office an official letter of application for the appointment, he at the same time sent to the office a packet of testimonials which contained the printed paper I now hold in my hand, being his statement of the circumstances referred to in the Report of the Sligo Election Committee of 1853. The packet itself passed unexamined by the Duke of Newcastle and myself, and this explains why that printed statement did not receive notice at the time. If it had done so, no doubt we should then have known it in sufficient time to prevent this appointment being made.