SUPPLY.—REPORT. (Hansard, 10 September 1886)

§ MR. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)
Perhaps the hon. Member the Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Jackson) has been able to fulfil the undertaking which he gave last night with regard to the insertion of advertisements in certain newspapers. I complained that, although Government advertisements in Ireland were given to Castle newspapers, they were, as a rule, denied to the Nationalist newspapers. In a letter I received from Ireland to-day I am informed that The Morning News of Belfast, which is one of the leading newspapers of the town, and which represents not only the Nationalist Party in Belfast, but in the whole of Ulster, is denied any share whatever in the Government advertisements. Other papers, such as The Northern Whig, which, as is indicated by its name, is an Orange organ, and The 154 Belfast News Letter, receive all the advertisements. I believe it is the fact that the most widely circulated Nationalist newspapers—weekly newspapers— published in Dublin, never get a single one of these advertisements. That is an unfortunate circumstance, and it is disadvantageous to the Government, who desire to have their advertisements widely circulated, because the Nationalist papers circulate amongst the farmers, and are read by the vast majority of the people. The Daily Express, which is one of the papers receiving the Government advertisements, is a paper which contains all information relating to Civil Service examinations, Land Commissions, and whatever else the Government have to do with; but the farmers never see a copy of it. I shall certainly move the reduction of this Vote unless I receive an assurance that fair play will take place in this matter.

§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)
In accordance with my promise to the hon. Member last night, I sent this morning for a list of the newspapers in Ireland to which these advertisements are given. I have here a list which I have received from the authorities, who assure me that, of course, they never take into account the politics of a newspaper in giving out their advertisements. [Laughter.] Hon. Gentlemen, I hope, will give me credit for good faith in this matter. The Civil Service Commissioners assure me that they never take into account the politics of these newspapers. At the same time, I have to say, in answer to the hon. Member, that I propose to go through a list of newspapers, and that if I find there are some which are widely circulated, which are read more than others, and through the medium of which our advertisements would receive a wider circulation, I shall endeavour to treat them fairly by giving them an adequate share of the advertisements. I suppose The Freeman's Journal may be taken to represent more or less the Nationalist side of the question.

§ MR. CLANCY
Is that the only one which receives the advertisements?

§ MR. JACKSON
I am afraid I cannot answer that question, as my knowledge of Irish newspapers is not very extensive. This is my list:—The Belfast Northern Whig, The Belfast News Letter, The Cork Constitution, The Cork Exa- 155 miner, The Dublin Daily Express, The Dublin Morning and Evening Mail, The Dublin Freeman's Journal, The Irish Times, The Londonderry Sentinel, The Tyrone Constitutional, The Waterford News, and The Galway Vindicator. I think the hon. Member will see that I have endeavoured, in the short space of time at my command, to carry out the promise I made him.

§ MR. CLANCY
The House will, perhaps, allow me to say that I consider the assurance of the hon. Gentleman satisfactory so far as it goes. I understand, however, that the list mentioned by the hon. Gentleman contains absolutely only one newspaper representing the Nationalist Party in Ireland. [An hon. MEMBER: No; two.] Well, then, two. I understand from the hon. Member that the present list, which contains only two Nationalist papers, will be revised, and that a fair proportion of the Nationalist newspapers will, in the future, get a share of the Government advertisements in Ireland. If this be the assurance of the hon. Gentleman, I will not press a Motion for the rejection of the Vote.

§ COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)
I point out that in Dublin, where the population is Nationalist, advertisements are given to two daily papers which are Conservative, and also to The Freeman's Journal; but in regard to Belfast the tendency of the Government officials is precisely the reverse; the advertisements are given to two daily papers there because the majority of the population is Conservative, and the Nationalist morning paper is left out.

§ MR. M. J. KENNY (Tyrone, Mid)
Perhaps the noble Lord the First Lord of the Admiralty will be in a position to reply to my Question with reference to the widow of a sailor which I put to him yesterday?

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)
I find that the case the hon. Member referred to has been before 156 the Admiralty on previous occasions, and it is quite clear that the rules and regulations relating to pensions do not apply to it. It is a case in which I should have been glad to show consideration if it had been possible. The man in question met with an accident whilst he was employed by the Admiralty. He died some time afterwards from typhoid fever; and there is little, if any, connection between his death and the accident alluded to. Unless death can be proved to be directly and immediately caused by the accident, no pension can be given to his wife and family. The rule is strict, and the Department insists in these cases, which, unfortunately, are not of unfrequent occurrence, that the Regulation should be observed. Therefore, I am unable, although I should have been glad if it had been in my power, to accede to the wish of the hon. Member for Mid Tyrone.

§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W., and Sligo, S.)
I can assure the noble Lord that I should not have troubled him had I not convinced myself that the case is one that demanded a more favourable reply. The noble Lord informed us that in some cases the letter of the rule had been relaxed when the case demanded the concession. But, Sir, I do think this is a case in which there has been no relaxation of the letter of the rule; indeed, I am certain that it is so. This man was an Irishman who spent the prime and vigour of life in the service of the Queen. During 20 years in that service he met with two accidents; the second accident, which aggravated the effect of the first, occurred six months before his death. The man died of typhoid fever; but the medical man stated that the typhoid process was materially assisted by the injury he had received; in short, this gentleman made it as plain as it could be made that if the injury had not been received the result would not have been as stated. I say, Sir, it is a miserable quibble to put forward that the Act does not entitle the widow of this man, who had a long-service and a good-conduct medal, to a pension. Such, however, is the miserable spirit of this system that I protest against the Vote being taken, and inform the noble Lord that until this matter is redressed I shall divide against every similar Vote as long as I am a Member of this House.