HC Deb 08 March 1887 vol 311 c1577
MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If his attention has been called to the abduction of Ethel Roe, a Protestant girl of 13, and a ward in Chancery, from her grandmother's house in Pembroke Road, Dublin, on the 19th February; and, what steps it is proposed to take to bring her again under the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery?

MR. H. J. GILL (Limerick)

Before the right hon. and learned Gentleman answers that Question, I would wish to ask him this supplementary one—if he is aware that Ethel Roe was with her mother in Belgium, and brought up as a Roman Catholic until she was about nine years of age; if he is aware that she was allowed by her mother to go under the care of her grandmother in Dublin, on the understanding that her religion should not be tampered with; if he is aware that she is now with her mother again of her own freewill, having written a letter to that effect, in which she stated that she was being brought up by her grandmother to execrate the religion in which she believed; and if the right hon. and learned Gentleman will state which he considers the more natural guardian of a child—a mother or a grandmother?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin Uni- 1578 versity)

I am not aware of any of the matters to which the hon. Member has referred. In reference to the Question of my hon. Friend, I have seen in the newspapers the statement as to the disappearance of Ethel Roe, a ward of the English Court of Chancery, from her grandmother's house, last month; and I am aware that the matter has been brought by the grandmother to the notice of the police, who are prosecuting inquiries on the subject.

MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)

I wish to ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman if his attention has been called to a letter which appeared in The Freeman's Journal of the 1st of March last, written from Metz, Germany; and, whether he has any reason to doubt the authenticity of that letter?

MR. JOHNSTON

I would like to ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman if he is not aware that this girl has been attending church and Sunday-school in Dublin; and, if it has not been generally believed in Dublin that the letter referred to is a forgery?

MR. HOLMES

I am not aware of the matters to which my hon. Friend refers. I have read the letter in The Freeman's Journal; but, beyond the circumstance that the style is singularly matured for the composition of a girl of 13, I have no information as to its authenticity.

MR. H. J. GILL

I beg to inform the right hon. and learned Gentleman—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!