§ MR. CLANCYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, although on the 7th November, 1889, it was officially reported to Mr. Richard Owen Armstrong, J.P., a member of the Board of Swift's Hospital (Lunatic Asylum), Dublin, that the funds of the institution had been to a large amount misappropriated by the Secretary, Mr. Newland, and that although Mr. Newland himself reported to Sir Ralph Cusack, J.P., D.L., another member of the Board of Swift's, that he had been guilty of extensive defalcations in the funds of the hospital, the members of the Board of Swift's, at a special meeting, agreed to allow Mr. Newland to make restitution to the extent of £1,000 of the funds he had fraudulently misappropriated; whether such action of the Board was legal; whether he is aware that, in consequence of this action of the Board, Mr. Newland, on the 15th November, 1889, lodged in the Bank of Ireland a sum of £1,000 to the credit of the Board of Swift's Hospital; but, being subsequently declared a bankrupt, the Board of Swift's Hospital were obliged to refund the said payment of £1,000; whether the total loss to the funds of Swift's Hospital caused by Mr. Newland's frauds has yet been ascertained; and, if so, what is the total amount of said loss; can he explain how it happened that it was not until the 7th February, 1890, three months after the discovery of Mr. Newland's frauds, that the members of the Board of Swift's caused informations to be sworn against Mr. New-land, who meantime had absconded, and placed himself outside the jurisdiction of Her Majesty's Courts of Justice; and whether the Government proposes to take any action, and, if so, what action, in the matter?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThese alleged matters of fact have not come under the notice of the Irish Government, and I 968 have no materials that will enable me to give the hon. Gentleman the information he requires.
§ MR. CLANCYWill the right hon. Gentleman endeavour to obtain information, seeing that two or three of his political supporters are charged with felony?
§ MR. A. J, BALFOURI do not know what ground the hon. Gentleman has for that statement.
§ DR. KENNY) (Cork, S.If Mr. Newland is guilty of these frauds will he be removed from the Commission of the Peace?
MR. A. J. BALFOUR"Of course, if any information is brought to the notice of the Government, inquiry will be made and action if necessary taken.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWhy should the law be enforced in a case of boycotting and not in a case of theft?