HC Deb 08 March 1875 vol 222 cc1391-2
MR. CHARLES LEWIS

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been particularly called to the fact that on the 15th, 16th, and 21st days of December last an advertisement appeared in "The Standard," offering £1,000 reward for the restoration of Lady Dudley's jewel case, having the following concluding paragraph:— All communications made on the subject will be considered as strictly confidential, the sole object being the recovery of the missing property. And, further, that on the same days an advertisement appeared in "The Times," inviting any person into whose hands the jewel case might have fallen to communicate direct with Lord Dudley; whether Lord Dudley is a magistrate and chairman of Quarter Sessions of the county of Worcester; whether it is consistent with the duty of one holding that position to take such a course and to offer to receive satisfaction for a felony committed; and, whether under these circumstances, it is intended by Her Majesty's Government to suffer such a proceeding to pass unnoticed?

MR. ASSHETON CROSS

I am sure, Sir, the hon. and learned Member will not think I was intentionally guilty of an act of discourtesy to him in the way in which I answered his Question the other night. I believe Lord Dudley is a magistrate and Chairman of Quarter Sessions, and I believe the jewels in question have not been found. I also believe, as I stated the other night, that the legality of the particular advertisements referred to by the hon. and learned Member is very shortly to be brought before the Law Courts. Therefore, I hope the hon. and learned Member will pardon me for saying, that I still entertain the opinion I expressed on the former occasion, that, under the circumstances, it would not be right for me simply as Secretary of State to attempt to give any interpretation of the law on the question to this House, when that law is to be brought in question in a Court of Justice, or to apply that law to a state of facts of which I know really nothing, and have not the means of knowing.