§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the solicitor for the defence of the Irish Members 1655 before the Special Commission has made an application to the Irish Office for information as to the whereabouts of the informer Cullinane, for the purpose of having him served with a subpoena to appear before the Special Commission; and what reply has been sent?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am given to understand that the letter from Messrs. Lewis on the subject referred to in the question was received at the Irish Office in Queen Street, and has been forwarded to Dublin, where it will no doubt be dealt with without unnecessary delay.
§ MR. COXI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, having regard to his statement that the Government would allow facilities to both the parties before the Special Commission, whether it is true that the police at Quin and Clooney, county Clare, tore down placards announcing a public collection in aid of the fund for the defence of the Irish Members before the Commission; and, if so, by what authority?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary authorities report that it appears that four copies of the placard in question were taken down. The collection was announced as being made under the auspices of a suppressed branch of the League.
§ MR. COXMay I ask whether the placards had not been issued by the central branch in Dublin, which is not suppressed?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI cannot answer that question, but the placard was torn down as being an attempt to revive the League in that district.
§ MR. SEXTONIs this attempt to prevent the defendants from raising funds for their defence to be taken as an instance of equal facilities to both parties.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo attempt has been made, or can, or will be made to prevent the raising of such funds.
§ MR. SEXTONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will lay upon the Table a copy of the written applications of the solicitors of the prisoner Tracy for leave to visit him in Belfast Gaol?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Prison Board inform me that it would be inexpedient to establish a precedent of the kind suggested in the question. They 1656 add that the grounds on which the solicitors made their request to see the prisoner were chiefly owing to alleged injustice of sentence. This is a matter upon which every prisoner has a right to memorialize the Lord Lieutenant at any time, and this course was pointed out to the solicitors as the proper one. The Board saw no reason to relax their rules in this case, as they had strong reason for believing that the alleged purpose of the interview was not bonâ fide.
§ MR. SEXTONDoes the right hon. Gentleman not consider it would be advisable for every prisoner wishing to memorialize the Lord Lieutenant to have the assistance of a solicitor?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURdid not reply.