HC Deb 18 February 1884 vol 284 cc1183-5
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Mr. William Johnston, one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Fisheries in Ireland, attended and spoke, on the 19th October last, at a political meeting convened by the Dublin Constitutional (Conservative) Club; on the 3rd and 4th of October, at political party meetings and a political banquet at Belfast; on the 4th December, at an Orange Soiree of "The Royal Hobals Black Preceptory," in Dublin, (at which, on the motion of the grand chaplain of the Orange Society, a motion was adopted— That this meeting records its solemn protest against the action of the Government in depriving Lord Rossmore of the Commission of the Peace, and regard the step so taken as a slur on the loyalists of Ireland); on the 8th of January ult. at a political meeting in Lower Gloucester Street, Dublin; and, towards the end of January, at a banquet in honour of Lord Rossmore, a superseded magistrate, in the Rotunda, Dublin; and, whether the speeches made by him on several of those occasions were calculated to excite ill-will and hostility between Her Majesty's subjects; whether The Down Recorder of the 9th instant contained a letter from Mr. Johnston, appealing for funds to build a new hall for an Orange lodge, of which he describes himself as the master; whether this Mr. William Johnston is the same person respecting whom the Eight hon. Gentleman stated, on the 23rd July last year, that he should not have attended a political demonstration at which he had attended and spoken on the 12th of that month, and that he had been informed such was the view of the Government; whether Mr. Johnston is the same official in regard to whom he made the following statement on the 31st July last year:— So far as I have been able to ascertain, he was twice cautioned in 1879 by the Government then in office, and reminded of his obligations as a permanent salaried officer of the Crown. I did not ask him to give any pledge, but cautioned him against the repetition of such conduct. I hope he will accept the warning, but if he does not he must take the consequences; and, as Mr. Johnston has repeatedly disregarded those warnings, what the consequences now will be?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, I shall not enter into the details of this Question any further than to say that it is quite correct that Mr. Johnston was warned twice by the late Government and twice by the present Government. I now propose to lay before the House the following documents. His Excellency has caused the following letter to be addressed to Mr. Johnston:— 18th February, 1884. Sir,—I am directed by the Lord Lieutenant to acknowledge the receipt of your two letters of the 13th instant, and to state that he regrets that you have neglected the warning given you by the Chief Secretary in his letters of the 23rd and 31st July last, and have again participated in a public Party demonstration, although he conveyed to you the opinion of the Irish Government that it was imperatively necessary, having regard to the quasi-judicial functions of your office, that you should abstain from doing so. Under these circumstances, I am to inform you that His Excellency will find it necessary to remove you from the office you hold, unless you are prepared to undertake to refrain while holding office under Government from taking active part in public Party meetings, and from discussing in public any Party questions. (Signed) R. G. C. HAMILTON. Mr. Johnston has sent the following reply:— I, William Johnston, Inspector of Irish Fisheries, hereby undertake to refrain, while holding office under the Government, from taking any active part in any public Party meetings, or discussing in public any Party questions. (Signed) WILLIAM JOHNSTON.