§ MR. ISAACasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the evidence given before Mr. Woodlock, one of the Dublin Divisional Police Magistrates, by a Departmental Committee appointed by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury to inquire into the constitution and organization of the Board of Works in Ireland, and deposed to by him in certain criminal proceedings instituted by Mr. Lefroy, manager of the Queen's Printing Office in Dublin, against Mr. Burnside, proprietor of "Saunders' Irish Daily News," to have informations returned for libel; and, whether the manner in which an advance copy of the Departmental Committee's Report was obtained and published is in accordance with the rules and practices of this House, or was approved of by the Chairman and other Members of the Departmental Committee; and, if not, whether any and what steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence of 1767 such proceedings, which have already led to litigation and other inconveniences?
§ SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSONSir, I am aware that criminal proceedings have been instituted by the manager of the Queen's Printing Office in Ireland against the proprietor of Saunders's Irish Daily News. The case having been sent forward for trial, the hon. Member will not expect me to make any comments on it pending the decision of a Court of Justice; but I may say that nothing, so far as I am aware, has been done contrary to the Rules of this House or contrary to the approval of any Member of the Committee with whose Report the present proceedings are connected.