HC Deb 22 June 1882 vol 271 cc24-5
MR. REDMOND

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that, when Colonel Forbes, R.M., was stationed in Kildare, he was in the habit of sending forward from his court to the assizes all sorts of petty cases; and, though it was part of his official duty to attend the assizes, that he charged for the expense of his attendance in these cases, and thus procured large sums to which he had no right; whether at this time the witnesses' expenses for Kildare Assizes became so large that the attention of the Government was directed to the matter, and an investigation was instituted; whether such investigation resulted in the discovery of the practice of Colonel Forbes, whose conduct was reported; and, whether he has ever been called upon to refund the money so obtained?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, Mr. Seed, Crown Solicitor for Kildare, one of the most experienced Crown Solicitors in Ireland, informs me that he never remembers Colonel Forbes having sent forward any cases of a petty nature to Assizes, unless in the event of any difficulty arising as to the evidence; or of the Quarter Sessions not being held at a period in which such cases might have been tried, and the Assizes being the first available tribunal. In some instances it was considered necessary to allow Colonel Forbes moderate expenses when he was detained at the Assizes, and in only one instance does the Crown Solicitor recollect Colonel Forbes being called on to refund some £3 or £4, to which it was considered he was not entitled. The motive of the investigation referred to in the latter portion of the Question was not such as there indicated. In 1878 the system of auditing the accounts of county treasurers throughout Ireland was changed by Order in Council. They are now audited by the Local Government Board auditors, and the witnesses' expenses for the county have been greatly diminished; but this had nothing whatever to do with Colonel Forbes. I always endeavour to answer these Questions in a business-like and unargumentative way; but I must point out to the House that there is an increasing practice of putting Questions which imply personal discredit on able and zealous public servants engaged in the maintenance of order in Ireland.

MR. REDMOND

said, that, in view of the arbitrary powers about to be conferred upon Irish officials, he deemed it his duty to press the matter further, and to ask some further Questions upon it.