HC Deb 24 February 1881 vol 258 cc1658-9
MR. MACDONALD

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been called to a case tried before the Police or Burgh Magistrates' Court, Greenock, on the 21st instant, in which a woman was convicted of being drunk and disorderly on the night of the 19th, and was ordered to pay a fine or go to prison for five days; whether it be true that two policemen swore to her being the guilty person; also, that the Law officers produced copies of two previous convictions against her; whether it was afterwards found that the wrong person had been tried and convicted, and had to be discharged, and the really guilty party tried; whether, for the better protection of the public against such acts, he will order the policemen and the Law officers to be put on their trial for perjury by the Public Prosecutor; and, if it be in conformity with Law, he will order the suspension of the magistrate from the exercise of magisterial duties, and the assessor from being the adviser of the court?

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT

I must point out to the hon. Member and to the House that this is a Question I cannot, by any possibility, be expected to answer. What the hon. Member asks me is with reference to a transaction which took place at Greenock on the 21st instant, and of which Notice was only given by the hon. Member last night. The hon. Member asks whether I am prepared to Order the policemen and the Law officers to be put on their trial for perjury by the Public Prosecutor, and whether I will order the suspension of the magistrate from the exercise of magisterial duties, and the assessor from being the adviser of the court? I neither have, nor could by any possibility have, seen an account of the transaction as to which I am asked to take such extreme measures. I would point out to hon. Members and to the House that, when Questions of this kind are asked, several days' Notice should be given to a Minister, in order that he may make inquiry into the matter. A letter will be written to-day from the Home Office to Greenock in reference to this case; in the course of a day or two an answer will be received; and in a reasonable time consideration will be given as to what is to be done in reference to it. It is unreasonable for the hon. Member to place the Notice on the Paper one day and to ask the Question on the next.