§ MR. A. M. SULLIVANasked the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- 1660 ment, If there is any foundation for the following telegram in the London papers of the 22nd instant:—
Another case of incendiarism—making the third within the past few months—was reported at Chard this morning. [Several corn stacks belonging to a farmer named Chapman, were, last evening, fired and entirely destroyed. Notwithstanding a reward of £25 offered by the police authorities, no clue has been obtained as to the guilty parties. Later in the night a stall containing five cows, the property of a farmer who suffered in a recent incendiary fire, was set on fire, and the ricks near were saturated with oil;and, whether any one has been brought to justice or arrested for these crimes of incendiarism on reasonable suspicion or otherwise?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI am afraid I must make the same objection to this Question as to the last. This circumstance is said to have been reported by telegraph in the London papers of the 22nd instant—the day before yesterday. It is a case of which I have no knowledge whatever, and of which I never heard until the Question appeared in print this morning. Surely, the hon. and learned Member cannot now expect me to give him any information respecting it.