§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLI beg to give Notice that to-morrow I shall ask the hon. and learned Gentleman the Attorney General, Whether his attention has been drawn to a circular issued from the offices of the Chelsea Liberal Association to every elector in the borough, inviting subscriptions to a 582 fund to be raised for the purpose of returning the Right hon. Sir Charles Dilke and J. B. Firth, esq. free of expense; which circular is accompanied by a printed form of cheque, and a stamped and directed envelope; whether he is aware that the expense of such a circular would amount to over £150; whether such sum of money would have to be included in the election expenses return under the Corrupt Practices Act; whether the treasurers mentioned in the circular, who receive, and the persons who pay, any sums of money on account of the election expenses of Sir C. Dilke and J. B. Firth, esq. will under the 28th section of the 47th and 48th Vic. c. 51, be guilty of an illegal practice; whether he is aware that the circular is signed, amongst others, by a Lord of the Treasury and by the Vice President of the Council; and, what steps he proposes to take should it be found that the signatories of the circular have committed an offence against the Corrupt Practices Act?
§ MR. WARTONOn the same subject, I will, to-morrow, ask the right hon. and hon. Gentlemen the Members for Chelsea why they have sent this circular to me, asking me to subscribe to the fund?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEPerhaps, after this statement, I may be allowed to say that I never heard of the circular until this afternoon.