§ MR. O'HANLON (Cavan, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether a direct or indirect order has been sent from Dublin Castle to the Governor of Derry Gaol, commanding that official to refuse The Nation and United Ireland newspapers to Father M'Fadden and Father Stephens; and, whether the Government will cause instructions to be sent to the Governor 310 to allow those papers to be handed in for the use of those gentlemen?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)No such order has been sent from Dublin Castle. Discretion as to allowing newspapers rests, under the Rules of local prisons, with the Visiting Justices, and not with the Government.
§ MR. O'HANLONasked, if the right hon. Gentleman would say whether the First Lord of the Treasury had not received a large revenue from the sale of these papers at his book and paper stalls in Ireland?
§ MR. EDWARD HARRINGTON (Kerry. W.)asked, whether the Chief Secretary was aware that this same gaol Governor refused to allow Father M'Fadden, amongst the books to be read by him, a book containing a copy of the Prison Rules and of all the Acts relating to the government of prisons in Ireland?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am afraid I can give the hon. Gentleman no information about that.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)inquired, if the Chief Secretary was aware whether Governors of prisons in Ireland had refused to allow first-class misdemeanants to read "Gems of American Poetry?"
§ [No reply.]