HC Deb 26 January 1891 vol 349 cc1014-5
MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

I beg to ask the Attorney General for Ireland whether, in view of the prevailing custom in Ireland of appointing Roman Catholic clergymen as agents within the polling booths at contested elections, the Government will consider the propriety of amending the Ballot Act in the direction of preventing clergymen acting in this capacity?

MR. COX (Clare, E.)

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the question, may I ask the hon. Member for South Tyrone (Mr. T. W. Russell) if it is not the fact that at the last election for South Tyrone several clerical gentlemen of various denominations acted as agents both inside and outside of the polling booths?

MR. T. W. RUSSELL

Not that I am aware of.

MR. MADDEN

Without pronouncing any opinion on the custom to which my hon. Friend refers, and without pronouncing upon the expediency of making any alteration in the existing law governing the election of Members of Parliament, I may state—and my hon. Friend will probably agree with me—that the exigencies of Parliamentary business do not at present seem to hold out much hope of our being able to add any seriously controversial measures to the programme of the Government.

MR. H. BYRON REED (Bradford, E.)

In the event of a measure being introduced by a private Member, will the Government be prepared to give it, at least, a benevolent consideration?

MR. MADDEN

I cannot enter into any engagement on the subject.