§ MR. MAGUIREsaid, he had a question on the paper, to be addressed to the Secretary of State for the Home Department; but as he did not know who the Secretary of State for the Home Department might be at present, he would postpone his question to a future day.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, he trusted he could answer the question of the hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. MAGUIREthen said, he must make a short statement, in order to render his question intelligible, and the answer to it satisfactory. He wished to refer to a 1731 report which appeared in the police reports of the morning papers, the other day, to the effect that an Irish boy had received temporary relief at St. Martin's Workhouse, but had been turned out into the streets at midnight, where, but for the interference of a gentleman, he might have perished. The formal question he had put on the paper was—
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his notice had been called to certain statements reported to have been made in his official capacity, by Mr. Hardwicke, a police magistrate of the metropolis, in the course of last week, to the effect that shiploads of Irish paupers were being constantly sent by the authorities of Ireland to this country; and, if so, has any step been taken with respect to a person holding a responsible public office making such statements?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, his attention had not been called to any statement of that kind, and except from what the hon. Gentleman had said, he had no reason to believe that any such circumstance had happened.
§ MR. MAGUIREsaid, he then must beg the right hon. Gentleman to make inquiry into the matter.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, that if any report were made to the Home Office with respect to the conduct of any magistrate, inquiry should be made into the circumstances, but he did not think it would be fair to call any magistrate to account for chance statements made in newspapers.