§ MR. COBB (Warwick, S.E., Rugby)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether his attention has been called to a report of a case "Bryce v. Rusden" recently tried before Mr. Baron Huddleston; whether it is the fact, as stated therein, that Sir Arthur Gordon, being at the time Governor of New Zealand, did address a letter to the defendant conveying serious imputations on the character of Mr. Bryce, who was at the time one of his ministers, with a view to the publication of the matter of the letter in a history of New Zealand written by the defendant; and, whether Sir Arthur Gordon is now Governor of Ceylon; and, if so, whether the Government intend to take any action in the matter?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. OSBORNE MORGAN) (Denbighshire, E.)I have no knowledge of the case of "Bryce v. Rusden," beyond what I have derived from a newspaper report of the trial. From that report it appears that Sir Arthur Gordon, who was at the time Governor of New Zealand, and who is now Governor of Ceylon, did address a letter to the defendant conveying serious imputations on the character of Mr. Bryce, then one of his Ministers. But as the letter appears to have been marked "private," I could not undertake to say that it was written with a view to publication. I understand that an application for a new trial is now pending; and as the matter is, therefore, still sub judice. Her Majesty's Government do not consider that they can properly take any action in the matter.
§ MR. COBBasked whether the right hon. and learned Gentleman was aware that the new trial was only applied for with the view to the reduction of 1788 damages, and did not affect the cause of action?
§ MR. OSBORNE MORGANsaid, he was not aware of that fact.