HC Deb 03 August 1883 vol 282 cc1480-2
MR. BIGGAR

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true that Mr. Clifford Lloyd has got an appointment in Egypt; and, if so, what is the nature of it? He also wished to know whether the report was true that Mr. Clifford Lloyd had been given one year's salary as an allowance on leaving the position he held in Ireland?

MR. TREVELYAN

I understood, Sir, that this Question was to be addressed to my noble Friend the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs on Monday. All I can say is that I do not know what has been done in that Department. Mr. Clifford Lloyd has not yet resigned the appointment which he held in Ireland.

MR. HEALY

wished to know, if it was not a fact that the appointments of Special Resident Magistrates would terminate this month; and, if so, whether Mr. Clifford Lloyd's appointment would be renewed?

MR. TREVELYAN

No, Sir; my impression is that these appointments expire on the 30th of September.

MR. JOSEPH COWEN

asked whether police protection would be accorded to Mr. Clifford Lloyd after his departure from Ireland for Egypt? Was not the right hon. Gentleman aware of the statement that a sentence of death had been passed upon Mr. Clifford Lloyd by the secret societies?

MR. TREVELYAN

I do not know that Mr. Clifford Lloyd is the only one who has had sentence of death passed upon him. I am afraid that it will be very hard to protect Mr. Clifford Lloyd against his will. Whether Mr. Clifford Lloyd will choose to be protected or not is a different question. The fact of the matter is that these Special Resident Magistracies expire on the 30th of September, and the intention of the Government, principally as a matter of administrative convenience and the economical advantage of the country, is to re-arrange the criminal administration of Ireland in the manner proposed in the Bill which we recently brought forward. That Bill having been dropped in a manner in which it would certainly not have been dropped if it had been brought in for the purpose of strengthening law and order in Ireland, it will be necessary to adopt whatever temporary measures may be required to preserve law and order. Although I deeply regret the dropping of that Bill, on account of the object being to promote economy and administrative convenience, I can assure the House that law and order will be no less strictly preserved.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

asked whether the House was to understand that no assurance had been given to Mr. Clifford Lloyd that the other appointment would be reserved for him?

MR. TREVELYAN

I do not know exactly what the arrangements are, as they are being carried on by the Foreign Office. Nothing has been done within my knowledge.

MR. BIGGAR

asked what was the position of Mr. Clifford Lloyd at present with regard to the Irish Government?

MR. TREVELYAN

At the present moment he is a Special Resident Magistrate.

MR. BIGGAR

He is away on leave; how long will that leave be continued?

MR. TREVELYAN

I have in my hand a telegram from Mr. Clifford Lloyd, asking that His Excellency will extend his leave up to the 10th of this month. That I fancy would make his leave a matter of three weeks or a month, and I believe that is the first leave he has enjoyed during the three terrible years he has held office.