HC Deb 31 July 1883 vol 282 cc1137-9
MR. HEALY

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether it is the fact that, on 24th July, the Recorder of Dublin, at 1.15 P.M., adjourned his court to distribute the prizes at the Protestant Model Schools, although there are 900 cases listed at the present Sessions; whether upwards of thirty witnesses from Galway, Cork, Belfast, &c., have been attending court daily since 21st July; and whether all suitors are put to great inconvenience by such needless delays; whether it is a fact that the Recorder has, during the last two years, constantly adjourned court to attend "Prison Missions," Bazaars, &c., at the Christian Union Buildings; and, if anything can be done to prevent the loss and inconvenience entailed by adjournments entailed upon those attending court?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER)

Sir, with reference to the inquiries on this Question, I have to state that the Recorder of Dublin was asked to preside at the distribution of prizes in the Marlborough Street Schools, which are the chief model schools of the Irish National Board, on Tuesday, the 24th instant, and, before receiving the Recorder's reply, the managers of the school announced in the papers that he would be the chairman. On Monday, the 23rd, he wrote to say that he could not promise to attend as chairman, but that he would be present for a short period, and try to address the meeting, if it would not cause any inconvenience to the suitors in his Court. On rising on Monday evening, one of the practi- tioners in his Court asked him if he proposed to adjourn earlier than usual on the following day, and the Recorder intimated that he only intended to adjourn for luncheon, from 1 to 3 o'clock, and that he would not adjourn at all if it would cause any inconvenience. On Tuesday, when adjourning for luncheon at 1.30, he asked all the practitioners present in the Court if it would cause them any inconvenience to adjourn till 3 o'clock. They unanimously intimated that it would not cause them the slightest inconvenience, and the Recorder thereupon left the Court at half-past 1 o'clock, reaching Marlborough Street at a quarter to 2. He returned to the Court at five minutes past 3, and stated that, lest his absence should disappoint anyone, he would sit on after the usual time of 5 o'clock, until as late as might be necessary. Accordingly, he did sit till between 5 and 6 o'clock, when every case listed had been disposed of. I am unable to state whether any witnesses were present from a distance; but I am assured that the Recorder took care that they should not suffer any inconvenience on his account.

SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOT

I rise to Order. I wish to ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether it is not usual, when Questions are passed by, that they should be taken at the end of the list?

MR. HEALY

I rise to Order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to know, Sir, if it is usual or customary, when a right hon. and learned Gentleman occupying a seat on the Treasury Bench is answering a Question, that he should be interrupted in this manner?

MR. SPEAKER

The ordinary course is to wait until the other Questions are got through. The right hon. and learned Gentleman, however, was not in his place when the hon. Member for Monaghan first rose and asked the Question; and it had been put again when the right hon. and learned Gentleman came in. I think it would be more convenient to wait.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER)

Perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman (Sir Walter B. Barttelot) will allow me to finish my answer. The hon. Member for Monaghan asks me whether, for the past two years, the Recorder constantly adjourned to attend bazaars and meetings of Prison Missions, and meetings in the Christian Union Buildings. The fact is, the Recorder has never attended a bazaar during the last two years, either at the Christian Union Buildings, or anywhere else. Within the past 12 months he has been twice in the Christian Union Buildings; but not during the sitting of the Court. He attended a meeting in the Christian Union Buildings this year. I do not know the precise date; but it was held at 8 o'clock in the evening, and he took the chair; and he also attended the annual meeting of the Prison Gate Mission, but that was in the evening, and he certainly never adjourned his Court for the purpose; so that the statement made is perfectly unfounded. His present practice is to sit until 6, 7, and even 8 o'clock in the evening, in order to finish the cases that are listed, so that people from a distance may not be put to inconvenience; and it is his custom, also, to appoint a special day for the hearing of such cases. I feel bound to say that Her Majesty's Government, in any Department of the Public Service, have no more faithful, zealous, and upright public servant than the Recorder of Dublin. He has devoted his life and energies to the discharge of his duties; and I cannot but think it hard that statements of this sort should be made without the strictest inquiry as to their truthfulness.