§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What is the present position of Mr. George Bolton; is he in receipt of salary from the Crown; and, what are the intentions 781 of the Government respecting him?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANMr. Bolton, in May last, applied to the Bankruptcy Court to sanction an arrangement with his creditors. A Treasury Minute, of November 30, 1868, provides, among other matters, that—
If a Civil servant enters into a composition with his creditors under the Bankruptcy Act, he shall be suspended pending examination of the circumstances.Towards the close of last Session it was stated that, although the Lord Lieutenant was advised that Mr. Bolton was not a Civil servant within the meaning of the Minute, he would, under the circumstances, be dealt with by analogy to it, and be suspended pending the bankruptcy proceedings. Since that time all the proceedings in bankruptcy have, with the full assent of all the creditors, been discontinued. Under these circumstances, and after careful investigation of the facts, it has been determined to remove the suspension.
§ MR. HEALYI beg to give Notice that on the first and every available opportunity, in season and out of season, I will call attention in the House of Commons to the ruffianism of reappointing Mr. George Bolton by the Irish Government. ["Order!"]
§ MR. SPEAKERThe expression just used by the hon. Member is entirely irregular and out of Order; and as there have been so many instances of irregular Questions being put in the form of Notices, I shall be bound to take more serious notice of them if the practice is persisted in. [Cries of "Withdraw!"]