HC Deb 14 March 1887 vol 312 c176
MR. CHANCE (Kilkenny, S.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he will take steps to enable Members of this House to inspect the original notes and transcript of the shorthand writers employed to record the proceedings of the Cowper Commission; and, whether contradictory reports of the evidence of one of the witnesses examined before that Commission have already appeared in the newspapers?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

The hon. Member suggests a most unusual course, and one which could not, in my opinion, be properly complied with. In any event, it does not lie within my power to comply with it, as the documents referred to are not in the possession of the Irish Government.

MR. CHANCE

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he has any reason to suppose that the evidence now published has been in any way condensed from the original notes?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

No, Sir; I have no reason whatever to make any such supposition.

MR. E. HARRINGTON (Kerry, W.)

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how it is that not one word of certain witnesses who were examined at Killarney appears at all?

Mr. A. J. BALFOUR

I am not aware of that, nor does it come within my province.