HC Deb 28 March 1884 vol 286 cc1011-2
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the case of "Firth v. Trimble," an action for damages for libel, brought by the Rev. John Firth, Justice of the Peace for the county of Fermanagh, against the proprietor and manager of the Fermanagh Impartial Reporter, for an article in that newspaper charging the plaintiff with having adjudicated in a manner contrary to his duty as a magistrate, the jury found for the defendant; whether the report of the case is accurate, that Captain MacTernan, the resident magistrate of the district, swore that he considered that Mr. Firth led the other members of the Bench to give an improper decision; that Mr. Firth had acted, in his opinion, corruptly; that he believed there had been partiality in the decisions, and a pollution of the justice seat, and that he believed the Government ought to remove a partial magistrate from the Bench; and, whether he will make in- quiry into all the circumstances of the case?

MR. TREVELYAN

I have seen the newspaper report of the case. I am informed that it is the intention of the plaintiff to proceed to a new trial, and that the presiding Judge stayed the execution to enable such an application to be made. Under those circumstances, the case is still sub judice, and no action can be taken.

VISCOUNT CRICHTON

As the right hon. Gentleman has informed the House that the case is still sub judice, I will refrain from putting to him a Question on the subject of which I have given him private Notice.

MR. SEXTON

For the public information I wish to ask the hon. and learned Solicitor General for Ireland whether the plaintiff in this case chose the venue; whether he asked for a special jury, and got it; and whether the jury which found the verdict against him was not exclusively Protestant?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALKER)

It is the fact, Sir, that he chose the venue; and the other matters referred to in the Question of the hon. Member are, I believe, accurate.