§ MR. CALLANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether he is aware or has heard that any Member nominated on the Select Committee on Juries (Ireland) Act, 1871, had been previously requested to consent to serve on such Committee by the Lord Chancellor of Ireland; whether he is aware or has heard that any Member of the said Committee was, previously to his nomination thereon, asked by the Lord Chancellor of Ireland whether, in the event of his being nominated, he would consent to act or serve on said Committee; and, if the statement of the Lord Chancellor's interference is well founded, will he take steps to prevent the recurrence of it in future? He begged to add that if he had been aware of the facts previously to the Committee being named he would have objected to it.
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONin reply, said, that he was not aware whether the Lord Chancellor of Ireland had acted in the manner stated or not, 605 nor had he thought it necessary to make any inquiry. The Lord Chancellor of Ireland being a Member of the Government, and being particularly responsible for the administration of justice in Ireland, and being also the author of the Juries (Ireland) Act, had naturally taken a very great interest in the discussions which had been held in this House on the Act, and he had himself consulted the Lord Chancellor of Ireland on the constitution of the Committee which had been appointed to inquire into the operation of the Act. He thought it extremely probable that the Lord Chancellor of Ireland had acted in the manner supposed; but, with great submission to the right hon. Gentleman in the Chair and to the House, he begged to say he was not aware that the Lord Chancellor of Ireland had acted in any way improperly in so doing.