CLASS III.—LAW AND JUSTICE. (Hansard, 10 March 1882)

§ MR. LEAMY
said, before this Vote was passed, he would like to hear something from the Chief Secretary in explanation of it. He found there was a sum of £3,130 for the salaries of 15 extra magistrates, extra remuneration of six special magistrates, and salaries of six clerks. He was anxious to know what was the amount of the remuneration paid to each of those special magistrates and clerks, and who they were? There was also a further sum of £3,712 for subsistence, allowance for six special magistrates and their clerks. It was desirable they should know what was the actual sum which each of the special magistrates received, not only by way of extra remuneration, but by way of ordinary pay; what was the sum they received for travelling expenses and subsistence? It was proper, too, that they should be told what were the instructions which the special magistrates received.

§ MR. HEALY
said, he would have preferred his hon. Friend to move to report Progress, on the ground that an important question was involved in the Vote—namely, the appointment of Major Bond, who had been proved in. his own native town to be a perjurer. The appointment of Major Bond was so serious a matter that they desired to show the British public, as well as the Irish public, 685 the character of the man whom the Chief Secretary used as his instrument in his coercive policy; and at that late hour of the night they ought not to be expected to proceed with the Vote. Personally, he had no objection to the Government taking any non-contentious Votes; but Irish Members ought not to be expected, at half-past 1 o'clock in the morning, to enter into a matter affecting the Irish people so closely as the remuneration of the magistrates whom the Chief Secretary had appointed to carry out his hateful policy of coercion.

§ MR. CALLAN
said, it would be to the convenience of the Committee if the Vote were postponed. It was well the English and Irish people should be made acquainted with the circumstances attending the appointment of Major Bond, because underlying that appointment was the system under which the Chief Secretary governed Ireland. The Vote had once before been postponed to admit of the presence of the Chief Secretary, and to take a matter of such general interest after half-past 1 o'clock in the morning was a mere sham. Not a single Gentleman on the Conservative side of the House was now present; but opposite they had a complete phalanx of the Radical Party prepared to support the Chief Secretary in his coercive policy. They also saw that some Members of the Caucus had come down to defend the appointment of Major Bond. It would be well to at once take whatever non-contentious Votes there were, and not enter upon this one, which would involve a long and embittered wrangle. They could not discuss the appointment of Major Bond at a time when their proceedings could not be published. They intended to impugn the capacity of Major Bond, to impugn his honesty, straightforwardness, independence, and fairness; and unless the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary wished to gag them, to put the clôdture upon them by a side wind, he would not take the Vote on the present occasion.

§ MR. W. E. FORSTER
reminded hon. Gentlemen that on the subject of the appointment of Major Bond there was a Motion on going into Committee of Supply on the Paper, and, in all probability, it could be taken at an early hour. He had every wish to have the appointment discussed, and he should very much prefer what he had to say on 686 the matter should be said when it could be published throughout the country. It was, however, important to get the Supplementary Estimates finished in the course of the week, and therefore he trusted they would be allowed to proceed. He would explain how the matter stood with regard to Major Bond, and, unless there were other matters——

§ MR. HEALY
Yes, there is Mr. Clifford Lloyd.

§ MR. W. E. FORSTER
said, he thought the appointment of Mr. Clifford Lloyd had been discussed so often that there was not very much more to be said about him. If hon. Members were so strongly of opinion that the Vote could not be conveniently taken now he would postpone it.