§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLasked the honourable and learned Member for Launceston, Whether it was a fact that the Law Officers of the late Government decided not to proceed further with the prosecution against Mr. Bradlaugh and others for publishing obscene and immoral works after the first indictment had failed owing to a technical error?
§ SIR HARDINGE GIFFARD, in reply, said, the Question of his noble Friend appeared to assume that the prosecution was at the instance of the Government. That was an error. It was begun by the City Police, and he had no knowledge of it. He must—
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONrose to Order, and asked, whether the noble Lord could ask a Question which had no reference to a Bill or other matter before the House?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe Rule is, that a Question must refer to a Bill or Motion before the House; but as the present Question refers to a matter which has attracted much public attention in this House, and as it deals with the acts of the Law Officers of the Crown of the late Government, I thought it my duty to allow the Question to be put.
§ SIR HARDINGE GIFFARDsaid, he would repeat what he was saying when interrupted—namely, that the case was begun by the City Police; he had no knowledge of it until after that time. It never was a Government prosecution, and no question of further proceedings 33 ever came before him as Law Officer. He thought, however, he was bound to add that if he had been asked his opinion, it would have been against giving further publicity to an obscene and mischievous publication.