HC Deb 09 May 1881 vol 261 cc23-4
MR. LABOUCHERE

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that Mr. Dillon, now in Kilmainharn Gaol, is suffering from illness; and, if he will take steps to ascertain whether continued incarceration will have any serious effect upon that gentleman's health, with a view to at once release him, if such be the case?

MR. SEXTON

also asked the right hon. Gentleman, Whether it is true, as stated in the newspapers, that in consequence of the report on the state of his health, the hon. Member for Tipperary has been placed in the infirmary of Kilmainham Prison; also, whether prisoners confined in cells through illness are condemned to entire solitude, because the rules of the prison prevent their receiving any visitors?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

I am afraid I must ask the hon. Member for Sligo (Mr. Sexton) to repeat his Question, in order that I may make inquiry. In answer to the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Labouchere), Mr. Dillon is, I understand, attended by his own medical adviser. I have not received official information, although I have mode inquiry as to the state of his health; but I hope, from what I see in the papers, that he is not seriously ill. That is what I gather. I should be sorry if his imprisonment should affect his health; but the hon. Member can hardly expect us to release him to enable him to renew the conduct for which it has been felt necessary to arrest him.

MR. HEALY

rose to a point of Order. He wished to know whether, when a Member of that House who had been arrested on a charge for which he had not been tried, and of which he had not been guilty, was referred to in the House, he should be mentioned by name, and not by the constituency which he represented, as was the usual courtesy in the House?

MR. SPEAKER

The right hon. Gentleman (Mr. W. E. Forster) has not taken any course, in my opinion, opposed to Order. Hon. Members are aware that there are two Members for Tipperary in the House, and it is necessary to distinguish between them

MR. HEALY

asked whether, in the case of a constituency having two Members, it was not usual to refer to them as the senior and the junior Member respectively?

MR. A. M. SULLIVAN

Sir, as there are two Members for Bradford in the House, may I ask Mr. Forster whether he will be in a position to give to the House the information he expects regarding the health of the hon. Member for Tipperary when it reaches him?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

I may say that I meant no reflection and no act of discourtesy by the way I referred to Mr. Dillon. My impression was that, when referring to any action outside of a Member of this House, it was within Order not to refer to him in the usual way, but to speak of him by name.