§ COLONEL SAUNDERSONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that a warrant has been issued against Mr. De Cobain, Member for East Belfast, for a serious crime; whether it is a fact that Mr. De Cobain has communicated with persons in this country admitting his cognisance of the charge made against him; whether Mr. De Cobain has made any communication announcing his intention of meeting the charge made against him; and whether, should Mr. De Cobain continue to remain outside the jurisdiction of this country, he will take the sense of the House on the conduct of Mr. De Cobain?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI am aware that a warrant has been issued against Mr. De Cobain. I am not aware that he has communicated with persons in this country as to his cognisance of the charge made against him, or as to his intention of meeting that charge. Should Mr. De Cobain continue to remain outside the jurisdiction of this country, it will have to be seriously considered whether the same procedure should not be followed as in the Sadleir case; but the House was on that occasion of opinion that a proper interval of time should elapse after the issue of the warrant for arrest before the proceedings were taken which led to expulsion.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to give notice that if any attempt of this sort is made I shall move that, as Mr. De Cobain is Grand Master of the Orange Lodge, a Special Commission shall be appointed. [Cries of " Order!"]
§ COLONEL SAUNDERSONHe is not Grand Master.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWell, Past Grand Master. [" Order ! "] I would ask whether any of the accessories to the crime have been convicted?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI have no information beyond that which I have communicated to the House.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYThen I will address the question to the Chief Secretary.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)I have nothing whatever to do with the matter, and take no interest in it.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI will put a question to the Attorney General for Ireland to-morrow.