§ MR. PATRICK MARTINasked the First Lord of the Treasury, If his attention has been called to a meeting of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature in Ireland, held on Thursday last, to consider the duties proposed to lie upon the Judges under the provisions of the Prevention of Crime (Ireland) Bill, when it was resolved unanimously,
That, in the opinion of the Judges of the Supreme Court, the imposition upon them of the duty imposed by the Prevention of Crime (Ireland) Bill would seriously impair public confidence in the judicial office, and thereby permanently injure the administration of justice in Ireland;and, having regard to the unanimous pronouncement on the part of the bench of Irish Judges, is it the intention of Her Majesty's Government to retain those Clauses in the new Coercion Bill which suspend trial by jury, and vest in Judges, selected by the Lord Lieutenant, the trial of treason, and the other offences mentioned in the Bill?
MR. GLADSTONEI have seen the Resolution to which the hon. Member refers; but I am bound to say that the matter is one which was very carefully considered by the Government before that Resolution appeared; and, setting aside any questions of detail, I may say that the clauses in the Bill referred to contain the deliberate conclusion of the Government.
MR. JOSEPH COWENwished to ask the Prime Minister, Whether, before drafting the new Coercion Bill, the Government consulted the Irish Judges, or any one of them, before conferring, or intending to confer, upon them the powers contained in the Bill?
MR. GLADSTONENo, Sir; we did not consult the Irish Judges. With respect to the question whether any one of them was consulted, the hon. Member is probably aware that the head of the Irish Legal Profession, the head of the Irish Bench, is a Member of the Executive Government. I imagine he does not refer to the Lord Chancellor.