HC Deb 08 July 1889 vol 337 cc1683-5
DR. FITZGERALD

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that Doctors Stephen, Sullivan, and Riordan, of Cork, have issued the following certificate in reference to the condition of the hon. Member for North Monaghan (Mr. P. O'Brien):— He has a jagged, contused wound on the left side of his head, on the front bone, and another at the back. The bone in front bared, but not at the back. He is very weak and faint through hæmorrhage; has he been informed that erysipelas, has set in; and, can he give the House any further information as to the condition of the hon. Member?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

This is not a matter within my official cognizance; nor have I any special means of obtaining information on the subject.

MR. SEXTON

Was any order given on the occasion of this deadly assult on a Member of the House by any person who was authorized to give an order?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

No such order was given to the police to commit an assault. The police were ordered to prevent the mob from surging forward.

MR. J. MORLEY (Newcastle-on-Tyne)

Is the right hon. Gentleman able to give us any information as to the condition of an hon. Member of this House who was injured on the occasion in question?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have no more information as to the hon. Gentleman than if he were not a Member of the House. This does not come within my cognizance.

MR. J. MORLEY

Under the circumstances, will the hon. Gentleman take care that it shall come under his cognizance?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The right hon. Gentleman must be perfectly aware that I have no means of obtaining any information with regard to the health of private individuals, whether they are Members of this House or not.

MR. SEXTON

Is it alleged that the hon. Gentleman who was injured was guilty of any violence, or any incitement to violence; or whether he was doing anything more than quietly standing by after shaking hands with the hon. Member for North-East Cork (Mr. W. O'Brien)?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

That question has no relation to the question on the Paper, which, as I understand it, has reference to the physical condition of an hon. Member of this House. I might remind the hon. Gentleman that the police requested the hon. Member for North Monaghan to remove from the place where he was, and he declined to do so.