HC Deb 17 May 1881 vol 261 c681
MR. HEALY

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, as it is not denied that Colonel Valentine Baker after his conviction of a far graver offence than any which the Irish coercion prisoners are merely suspected of, was not prevented from receiving such English, Irish, Colonial, and Foreign newspapers, illustrated or otherwise, as he chose to pay for; and further, as it is not denied that English prisoners charged with offences however grave are while awaiting trial allowed to receive such papers as are sent to them, the Irish prison officials will in future be instructed not to stop such publications as the "Echo," the "Newcastle Chronicle," the "Graphic," the "Illustrated London News," the "Nation," the "Irishman," when they are forwarded by friends to the political prisoners in Irish goals who are merely detained on suspicion; and, if he will state by whose orders these papers have hitherto been stopped?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

I can only repeat what I have before stated in answer to this Question—namely, that the Irish Government have given orders that prisoners detained under the Protection of Person and Property (Ireland) Act shall be allowed to receive the Dublin daily papers and the papers sent them from their own localities. I do not think there is any necessity for modifying that rule.

MR. HEALY

Perhaps the right lion. Gentleman will answer the latter part of the Question.

MR. W. E. FORSTER

I really have answered it. Of course, my answer implies that it is by our sanction. In fact, I am quite willing to state that it is done by our orders.