§ MR. LABOUCHEREasked Mr. Attorney General, Whether his attention has been called to a prosecution by Charlotte Blackman, a supernumerary at a theatre, against a loan office keeper named Taylor, and a solicitor named Boyne, for conspiring together to defraud her of £50; to the committal of these two persons, at the Bow Street Police Court, for trial; and to the Grand Jury at the Central Criminal Court having, on returning a true Bill against them, made a special presentment that the Director of Public Prosecutions had been wanting in his duty in not having taken up the case; and, whether, as the prosecutress is penniless, he will state what course he intends to adopt in the interests of justice?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES), in reply, said, his attention had been directed to the case. The Director of Public Prosecutions came to the conclusion that this case could not be taken up under the existing Rules; and he 1118 rather thought the decision of the Director was a correct one. He would take care the attention of the Treasury was called to the case, so that no failure of justice might ensue. He did not think the Grand Jury were made aware of the Rules by which the Director of Public Prosecutions was bound. He was now considering whether those Rules, which were framed by the late Sir John Holker, could be improved.
§ MR. LABOUCHERECould those Rules be laid on the Table of the House?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)said, there was no objection to laying them on the Table, if they had not already been presented.