MR. O'BRIENasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is the case that the luggage of two Irish Members of Parliament has been searched at Holyhead, within the past few weeks, by custom house and detective police officers, notwithstanding that upon one occasion they were informed beforehand of the name of the Member whom they molested; whether it is customary to search the luggage of passengers to and from Ireland at Holyhead; if not, upon what grounds these searches were made; and, whether steps will be taken to prevent its recurrence? The hon. Member, in explanation of the form of the Question, added that he did not claim any special exemption for Irish Members of Parliament if a usual or well-understood practice of searching passengers' luggage prevailed at Holy-head, as at Portsmouth and Dover. He merely desired that Irish Members should not be singled out for these attentions.
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI heartily concur in the view taken by the hon. Member, and I can answer his Question with the sympathy of a fellow-sufferer. On Whitsun Monday I returned from that part of Her Majesty's Dominions known as the Channel Islands, and I left my luggage in the boat with a servant to be cleared in the usual 1403 way. I, however, carried in my hand a large box, labelled "Home Office, Criminal Department." That was immediately secured by the Custom House officer, and then I was taken into a shed. Being a meek man myself I did not object, nor did I claim the privilege of a Member of Parliament, nor even of a Secretary of State; but I produced my Cabinet key and opened the box. My box was searched, and a chalk mark was made on it, and I was allowed to leave the Southampton Dock without a stain upon my character. If any hon. Member thinks it is a misfortune to be particularly suspected, the same thing has occurred to me; but I can assure the hon. Member that it is neither the intention of the Department nor the rule to suspect any person unnecessarily. Zeal sometimes docs outrun discretion, and under such circumstances I am disposed personally to applaud it. It is not the intention that the rule as to searching should be carried out with any unnecessary inconvenience to, or suspicion of, either Irish Members or Secretaries of State.