§ MR. T. P. GILL (Louth, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the following Memorandum respecting Government advertisements in Ireland:—
The advocacy of particular opinions is not in itself a sufficient reason for giving or withholding Government advertisements; but the benefit of the doubt should always be given in favour of papers supporting law and order; the fact that a particular paper is Boycotted is strong ground for giving it Government advertisements, and a conclusive ground for not withdrawing them if already given; no Government advertisements must, under any circumstances, be given to any newspaper that violates the law,Whether by newspapers not supporting law and order the Nationalist Press is meant; whether his attention has been called to the following statement of the Secretary to the Treasury, made in Committee of Supply last Session:—He proposed to go through the list [of newspapers to which the Civil Service Commissioners gave advertisements], and if necessary insert National papers, and he must say at once that they ought to be given a share of the advertisements, so that those who read the newspapers in Ireland to a large extent should have an opportunity of seeing these advertisements;and, whether, if the foregoing Memorandum has been issued, and the National newspapers be those to which the Chief Secretary refers, he will, in view of this statement of the Secretary to the Treasury, cause it to be withdrawn forthwith?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: I do not fool called upon to answer any Question with regard to alleged Circulars which must either be forgeries or have been obtained through breach of confidence of some person to whom they were entrusted. In any case I fail to see any inconsistency between the alleged Circular and the statement made by the Financial Secretary.