§ MR. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether John Morrissey, arrested and imprisoned on the 31st March last, under an order of the County Court Judge of Kildare, is still in gaol; whether he is aware that Morrissey was arrested and imprisoned for contempt of Court in not having obeyed an injunction to remove certain huts erected on the holding of a Mrs. Kelly for the shelter of evicted tenants; and whether Morrissey was in any degree bound to carry out the injunction referred to; and, if not, whether he will take into consideration, in case Morrissey has not yet been released, the advisability of now releasing him from prison?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThis question appears to relate to the case of Michael Morrissey, who was committed to prison on 21st March for contempt of Court, by order of the County Court Judge of Kildare. Morrissey was bound to obey the injunction. It has been open to him at any time to obtain his immediate release by purging his contempt of Court.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI appeal to the right hon. Gentleman whether, knowing the facts of this case, and that this unfortunate man is only the husband of the niece of the tenant, and has no power of obeying the injunction of the County Court Judge, the Government will interfere and order his release?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf I rightly understand the hon. Member his contention is that this man has no power to purge his contempt of Court or to obey the injunction. But the hon. Member must be aware that I have no power to interfere in cases of con tempt of Court.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYBut the Government have already interfered by releasing the tenant and her niece. The County Court Judge only sits once in three months, and this man will have to remain in prison till October unless the Government interfere.
§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)Does not the right hon. Gentleman recollect that three years ago the Home Secretary interfered in the case of an Englishman imprisoned for contempt in one of the Western counties?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think that is an error. My right hon. Friend denies, that he did interfere.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYBut, as a matter of fact, the Government have interfered in this case by ordering the release of the tenant and her niece. Do the Government intend to keep this man, who has already been in gaol four months, under detention for a further period, although there is no possibility of his going before the County Court Judge for some months to come?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf the Government find it part of their duty to review the sentence they will, of course, do so.
§ MR. CLANCYI may, perhaps, mention that at the last Quarter Sessions the County Court Judge was asked to release the woman and refused to do so.