§ MR. LEWISasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether he will give the name of the person who has served notice of action against any agent or representative of the Government for seizing newspapers in the Irish Post Office, and also the date of such notice?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)said, he found that the notice was not conversant with the subject-matter of the Question.
§ MR. LEWISasked whether the right hon. and learned Gentleman would kindly repeat his answer, as he had not quite caught it.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)repeated the words he had used.
§ After a pause,
§ MR. LEWISrose, and, apologizing for troubling the right hon. and learned 1136 Gentleman, said, he had been really unable to catch the answer.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)I find that the Notice is not conversant with the subject-matter of this Question.
§ Subsequently,
§ MR. LEWISsaid, he must trespass for a few minutes on the time of the House, and, if necessary to put himself in Order, he would conclude with a Motion. He and others were placed in some difficulty by the answer which had been given to his Question. To enable the House to understand the matter he might say that two or three days ago he asked the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Attorney General for Ireland, under what Statute it was that the Government had seized certain newspapers at the Irish Post Office? The right hon. and learned Gentleman declined to answer that Question, because, he said, notice of action had been given against the representative of the Government. In consequence of that reply he (Mr. Lewis) put on the Paper the Question which he had asked to-day; and although the right hon. and learned Gentleman had answered it three times, he was in the same difficulty after the third answer as he was originally. The right hon. and learned Gentleman said the notice was not conversant with the subject-matter of the Question. Of course, it must be his own dulness; but he confessed he was no wiser for that answer. Therefore, perhaps he might be allowed to put his Question in such plain terms that a simple "yes" or "no" might answer it. Had any notice of action been given against the representative of the Government in respect of the seizing of newspapers at the Irish Post Office; and, if so, on what date?