§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether in re Mary Staunton, tenant, Rev. Dr. Collis, landlord, the tenant, an Irish-speaking witness, because she declined to speak English, saying she could not, and then having spoken a few words in that language, had her case dismissed, in Fermoy, last July, by Mr. M'Devitts, Sub-Commissioner; that she has had to file a second originating notice; that this has not since been heard; that other tenants on the same estate got large abatements; that this woman is still paying the old rent; whether it is the practice of the Sub-Commissions to insist on making persons who only know a few words of 856 English to attempt to give their evidence in that language; and, whether their attention will be called to the fact that an acquaintance with a few words of English does not justify this practice when important interests are involved, and the distinction of shades of meaning in words and phrases may make all the difference in evidence?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Land Commissioners inform me that they have ascertained upon inquiry that the case in question was dismissed by the Sub-Commission on the ground that the tenant, Mary Staunton, deliberately "attempted to deceive the Court."
§ MR. TREVELYANThat is what I am informed by the Land Commissioners. With regard to witnesses who do not understand or speak English, the practice in all the Courts of the Land Commission is to employ an interpreter, and this course is also adopted when a witness's knowledge of English is imperfect.
§ MR. HEALYasked whether the allegation that the woman Staunton attempted to deceive the Court related to her having spoken a few words of English after she had stated she could speak only Irish?
§ [No reply was given.]
§ MR. DAWSONasked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that, owing to Irish-speaking people not having been properly taught English in the National schools through the medium of their own tongue, it might be supposed they were deceiving, when in reality they did not properly understand English?
§ MR. TREVELYAN, in reply, said, that his attention had been drawn to that matter in a long and interesting Correspondence with Sir Patrick Keenan, which had just been laid upon the Table of the House.