§ MR. HEALYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been called to a paragraph headed "A Suspect's Career," in the "Leinster Leader" of the 16th July, in giving an 838 account of the career of Mr. George Patterson, of Edenderry, a veteran soldier; and, if he has ascertained of what offence this old soldier, who has served in several campaigns and shed his blood for the Queen is suspected?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, in reply to the hon. Member, I have to state that I have obtained a copy of the paragraph in question, from which I gather that a Mr. George Patterson had been arrested under the Act of this Session, and that he is stated to have enlisted in the Army 41 years ago, and since his discharge to have been until lately living in New South Wales. I find that a private of that name was discharged in 1853, and I presume he is the same man. I have no information as to the offence of which he is suspected beyond the statement in the Parliamentary Paper of this Session, No. 316, item 155, to which I must refer the hon. Member. It is not my duty to follow up the career of soldiers who left the Army some 30 years ago.