§ THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the assertion that the note of the Judgment of the Lord Chief Baron of the Irish Court of Exchequer in "Blunt v. Byrne," revised by the Lord Chief Baron, was made by Mr. Johnston, a member of the Dublin Press, Whether he is aware that Mr. Johnston was not even present in Court during the delivery of the Judgment; and, whether Mr. Holt, B.L., official reporter of the Irish Court of Probate, was engaged by the Attorney General for Ireland to supply for the Crown a report of the Judgment of the Irish Court of Exchequer in the Killeagh case, and was directed by an official telegram to furnish the transcript and post it to London in time for use by the Government in the debate in this House on the the 25th and 26th ultimo?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I am now informed that Mr. Johnston was not present in Court during the delivery of the Judgment, and that the notes were taken in his absence by Mr. Murray, who is also a professional shorthand writer, by arrangement with Mr. Johnston. Mr. Holt was not engaged by the Attorney General for Ireland, by telegram or otherwise, to supply for the Crown a report of the Judgment of the Court of Exchequer in the Killeagh case.
§ MR. SEXTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there was no engagement whatever between Mr. Johnston and Mr. Murray?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he had answered to the best of his ability with regard to a subject of which he could not have any official knowledge. He was sorry that the hon. Gentleman was not satisfied with the answer.
§ MR. SEXTONregretted that the right hon. Gentleman's informants so often misled him, and gave Notice that he would call attention to the whole matter in Committee of Supply.