§ MR. J. COLLETTwished to ask the Home Secretary if he could give any information relative to a case before Captain Lyons, a Hampshire magistrate, the particulars of which had appeared in a newspaper. The case in question appeared in the form of a dialogue between a police constable, of the North Hampshire district, named Hale, and a man named Silvester. The police constable was reported to have asked the man if he wanted a job; and on being replied to in the affirmative, the policeman told Silvester he had got a hare and a pheasant in his house, and that if he took them to a fisherman, named Bridger, and afterwards laid an information against the man, he would get 5l. by the job. The name of Sir T. C. Haywood, of Holywell House, was mentioned in the course of the dialogue. The man Silvester said, rather than do such a job as that he would go into the union workhouse.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMsaid, he could give no answer to the question. He hoped, however, that the question would not be put on the Votes, as the circumstances might turn out very different to the representations in the paper.
§ MR. J. COLLETThad every reason to believe that the statement was true. The statement was the foundation of his question, and he did not see how he could put it to the right hon. Baronet unless he was allowed to place it on the Votes.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMbegged the hon. Member to consider the position in which he placed the House by the course he had taken. The statement of the hon. Member would be circulated about the country for 330 several days before it could be answered. It was proper that he should have time to look into the case, and to ascertain if the charges had any foundation; but while he was doing this an ex parte statement would have been sent abroad affecting the character of a Gentleman whom he had the honour of knowing personally, who was a Member of that House, and whose honour and character had hitherto remained unstained.