HC Deb 07 April 1881 vol 260 cc880-1
SIR HERVEY BRUCE

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that evidence has been published by the Land Commission, presided over by the Earl of Bessborough, bringing charges against Irish landlords, while the names of the persons giving such evidence have been suppressed; and, whether he would publish the names of the witnesses, or in some way enable the public to form a fair judgment how far the testimony may be biassed or otherwise?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

Sir, I beg to inform the hon. Member that neither I nor any other Member of the Government have any control over the Commission, who conducted their proceedings in the way they thought best; and, therefore, we could not call upon them to publish the names of the witnesses who were called, neither could we publish them ourselves. It would have been better, in the circumstances, to have addressed this Question to one of the Commisioners, either in this House or in "another place." I believe the usual course was adopted.

SIR HERVEY BRUCE,

in consequence of the suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman, begged to put the Question to the senior Member for the County of Cork, who was a distinguished Member of the Commission, and who was now in his place.

MR. SHAW,

in reply, said, there were several tenant farmers who came before the Commission, and on the question that their evidence should be taken down and their names published, they expressed a dread; they were afraid by so doing they would expose themselves. The dread they expressed was not so much on the part of their landlords as on the part of the agents and under agents. This, he thought, was a very natural feeling under the circumstances. Their evidence was accordingly taken on the express understanding that although the evidence might be published their names would be omitted. Special inquiry was made into the particulars of the evidence given by these witnesses, and it was found to be bonâ fide At the end of their sittings a deputation attended representing the landlords of Ireland, who gave the Commission very elaborate tables of expenditure. They were asked to give the names in addition to the particulars; but they declined to give them, adding that they only brought the information to the Commission on the condition that they would not publish the names.

Loan CLAUD HAMILTON

asked the hon. Member whether by bonâ fide he meant that the evidence was truthful?

MR. SHAW

replied that the evidence was carefully sifted as to its truth, and sent to the persons implicated before it was published, so that they might have replied to the charges if they had chosen to do so.