§ MR. W. CORBET (Wicklow, E.), who had the following Question on the Paper:—To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he is aware that at the last Assizes held at Wicklow all Catholic jurors were excluded from the jury box in capital cases by the action of the Crown; and, whether any steps can be taken to prevent a recurrence of such exclusion?—asked, on a point of Order, whether the phrase "jury packing" was not an ordinary term? The last paragraph in the Question had been altered by the phrase "jury packing" being struck out.
§ MR. SPEAKERIf I recollect aright, the term in which the hon. Gentleman used the expression was invidious. There was something besides these words if I recollect aright; but I am speaking from memory.
§ MR. W. J. CORBETI should really wish to know whether the terms of my Question put on the Paper were out of Order? I have not a copy of the Question with me; but, as well as I remember, the exact words were "whether the system commonly called jury packing prevailed?"
§ MR. SPEAKERIf I recollect aright, the term used by the hon. Gentleman was invidious. I am speaking from memory, and the words were whether the system commonly called jury-packing was habitually enforced in the county? I thought that expression ought not to appear on the Paper, and I think so now.
§ MR. W. J. CORBETthen asked the Question as it stood on the Paper.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I have no knowledge of the religious denominations of jurors at last Wicklow Assizes.
§ MR. W. REDMOND (Fermanagh, N.)Arising out of this Question, I wish to ask whether it is not an extraordinary coincidence that in almost every part of Ireland the Catholics are excluded from the juries?
§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman——
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! I must say it seems to me that the practice 534 of putting supplemental Questions is being greatly abused to-day.
§ MR. W. REDMONDMight I be allowed to say, Sir——
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! Mr. Maurice Healy.
§ MR. MAURICE HEALYWhat I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman, in reference to the ignorance of the religion of the jury, is this—whether he is aware that the present Justice Holmes, when Irish Attorney General, was in a position to state to the Court of Queen's Bench what the relative religious beliefs of the jury panel was as a ground for not changing the venue from Omagh?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat Question does not arise out of the Question on the Paper; and, in the next place, it is not a Question I can answer.