HC Deb 02 July 1888 vol 328 cc62-4
THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, By whom the Report of the Judgment of the Lord Chief Baron of Ireland, in the case of "Blunt v. Byrne," which has been revised by the Lord Chief Baron, and published as a Parliamentary Paper, was made; whether an official reporter took a note of the Judgment of the Irish Court of Exchequer in the Killeagh conspiracy case; who made the note of that Judgment which was quoted by Ministers in this House in debate on the 25th and 26th ultimo; whether that note was revised by the Judges of the Court before it was used in the debate; and, whether a note has been taken for the Government of the proceedings in the Irish Court of Exchequer, on the 27th ultimo, upon the motion for a writ of habeas corpus in the case of Cronin and others?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

The Report in the case of "Blunt v. Byrne" was made by a gentleman named Johnston, a professional reporter. No official reporter took any note of the Judgment in the Killeagh conspiracy case. The Judgment was taken by a gentleman named Holt; but not on behalf of the Government. One of the junior counsel for the Crown, appearing in the case, afterwards applied to Mr. Holt for a copy of his note, and got it. That was the Report quoted in this House. It never was revised by the Chief Baron, nor, of course, by any of his colleagues. No note has been taken for the Government in the case of "Cronin and others."

MR. SEXTON

Is not Mr. Holt a barrister and the official reporter of the Court of Probate? Did he take notes by direction of the Lord Chief Baron? When notes of a judicial decision are taken by an official person who is paid by a Vote of this House, do the Government say they are justified in quoting from those notes, and then refusing to lay them upon the Table?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

said, be understood that Mr. Holt was a barrister; but he did not act officially in the case in question.

MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)

Who paid him for his notes?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The person who employed him—not the Government.

MR. SEXTON

I must press this matter a little further. In view of the fact of Mr. Holt being the official reporter of the Court of Probate, and in view of the act that the Chief Baron directed him to take these notes, can the right hon. Gentleman say if the Chief Baron has any fund, apart from the fund voted by this House, from which to pay for these notes?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

replied in the negative, and was understood to say that the Chief Baron paid for the notes out of his private purse.

MR. T. C. HARRINGTON (Dublin, Harbour)

asked, was he to understand that Mr. Holt was asked by the junior counsel for the Crown to supply a copy of his notes; and, whether the junior counsel for the Crown had paid him for them, or intended to pay him for them?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

No, Sir.