§ MR. ONSLOWI beg to give Notice that on Monday I will ask Mr. Attorney General, If his attention has been called to a paragraph which appears to-day in all the newspapers, to the effect that the Home Secretary has, in default of an appearance in a County Court, been, ordered to pay, within 14 days, the sum of £4 15s. for button-holes, nosegays, and cut-flowers for ladies, ordered by him at the election at Oxford in 1880; whether the purchase of these delicacies as presents to ladies interested in the election was not at the time an illegal practice; and if these bouquets were not sent to the relatives of voters, whether he would cause inquiry to be made as to what necessity there was for the Home Secretary to display such a profusion of floral decorations during the progress of the election?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI should like to answer the Question myself now. I am very glad the hon. Member has made the inquiry, because it is one which since this morning I have made myself. The first time I ever heard of this action or proceeding was when I saw it in the newspapers. Whether there is any foundation for the statement that any such proceedings in the County Court have taken place, or any such judgment has been given, I really do not know. I have sent to ask whether it is a fact, because to me it is a new practice that a man can be sued in the County Court, and have judgment given against him, without having ever been informed of any such proceedings being taken.