§ MR. DARLING (Deptford)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been directed to a letter published in the Times on 4th June, and dated 30th May last, purporting to be written by the hon. Member for East Belfast (Mr. De Cobain), which was read by the Vice President of the East Belfast Independent Conservative Club, at a meeting held on 3rd June; whether there is any reason to doubt that such letter was written by the hon. 30 Member; and in view of the fact that such letter discloses that the hon. Member is aware of the warrant against him, and does not intend to return and surrender for trial, if he will state when the Government intend to bring the conduct of the hon. Member for East Belfast to the notice of the House?
§ DR. TANNERIs there any intention on the part of the authorities to proceed against the other persons who are alleged to be implicated in the same crime?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHThe hon. Member for Mid Cork (Dr. Tanner) is apparently in possession of information which the Government does not possess. I am not aware that there are other persons implicated in the crime alleged against the hon. Member for East Belfast. My hon. and learned Friend behind me will see that the Government would not be justified in proceeding upon the evidence to which he has referred—namely, a letter alleged to have been written to a newspaper, which comes to us as a newspaper report only. But we are taking such steps as are necessary to obtain information on the point whether or not the hon. Member is evading arrest, or has refused to appear in answer to the warrant setting forth the charge brought against him. That information will be communicated to the House, and as soon as we are in a position to do so, proceeding with the caution which ought always to be observed in cases of this kind, it will be the duty of the Government to make a proposal on the subject.
§ MR. PICTONMay I ask whether precedents do not exist for issuing an order to an absent Member to appear in his place in the House?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHYes; there are precedents for issuing such an order, but those cases have always been based upon evidence furnished to the House that the hon. Member concerned has evaded arrest or refused to appear to answer the charge brought against him.
§ MR. DARLINGDo the Government know that the letter referred to in my question was written, not to a newspaper, but to the Chairman of a Conservative Association, and have they ascertained whether it was really the composition of the hon. Member for East Belfast or not?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHYes, Sir; that is one of the points on which inquiry is now being made. I am sure my hon. and learned Friend, with his legal experience, must be sensible that it is necessary to proceed with extreme caution in matters of this kind, where the rights and privileges of Members are affected.