§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)said, that, with the indulgence of the House, he might be permitted to make a personal explanation in reference to a matter on which he had unwittingly hurt the feelings of a very worthy public servant, Mr. Godley, the Secretary of the Land Commission. He (the Attorney General for Ireland) was reported in The Irish Times to have stated on Friday in the House that Mr. Godley was sharply reprimanded by the Land Commission, who, at the same time, informed him they did not consider the circumstances were such as to justify his removal. He (the Attorney General for Ireland) was also reported in another paper to have said that Mr. Godley was reprimanded in strong terms. He believed he said simply—at all events he had intended to say—that he was reprimanded. Mr. Godley, writing to him (the Attorney General for Ireland) on the matter said—
That if the Land Commissioners had adopted the tone in respect to him which he (the Attorney General for Ireland) had represented them to adopt, he (Mr. Godley) certainly should not and could not with any feeling of self-respect have retained for a single day his position as Secretary.The facts were that the Commissioners, undoubtedly, expressed disapproval. He (the Attorney General for Ireland) had used the term reprimanded; but they said that, in any expression of disapproval of their Secretary, they were unanimous in feeling that they entertained a deep sense of the value of his services and of the importance of retaining them, and they refused his resignation upon public grounds. Mr. Godley wrote to him (the Attorney General for 190 Ireland), and stated that he spontaneously offered his resignation to save embarrassment to the Commissioners, to whom he was loyally attached; but they refused it, and placed on record the opinion he (the Attorney General for Ireland) had already cited. The learned Judge at the head of the Land Commissioners was in Cork at the time, and not in Belfast, as he (the Attorney General for Ireland) had supposed; and that learned Judge now explained that what he desired to express was the minimum of blame with the maximum of appreciation of Mr. Godley's value. The learned Judge added—I sincerely trust, in justice to Mr. Godley, and in compliance with the requisition of the Land Commissioners, you will see your way to set this right, for Mr. Godley naturally feels it very acutely.In conclusion, he would thank the House for listening to his explanation.
§ MR. LEWISasked, if the Government had any objection to the production of the Correspondence quoted by the right hon. and learned Gentleman?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)This is not a Correspondence at all; it is a private letter addressed to myself, and not one in which the Government are at all concerned.
§ MR. LEWISAre there any letters or papers or minutes of the Land Commissioners relating to the subject which the Government will produce?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)I have no knowledge of any Correspondence besides the private letter, the substance of which, by the indulgence of the House, I have already put before them.
§ MR. LEWISgave Notice that at the earliest possible moment he would draw the attention of the House to the subject, and to the statement which the Attorney General for Ireland had made for the purpose of exculpating himself and the Commissioners.