§ MR. SUMMERS (Huddersfield)I beg to ask the Solicitor General whether his attention has been called to the statement of the Master of the Rolls that one or the other of the parties in the case of "Evelyn v. Hurlbert" was "guilty of the most wicked perjury;" and whether he is now in a position to inform the House what action, if any, it is the intention of the Public Prosecutor to take with reference to this case?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (Sir E. CLARKE,) PlymouthI am informed by the Director of Public Prosecutions that he is applying to the Court to allow him to have the custody of the impounded documents, and that he will then adopt the usual course of obtaining the advice of one of the Counsel employed by the Treasury in criminal matters, as to whether either or both of the parties to the suit can be indicted for perjury with a reasonable probability of obtaining a conviction, and that he will, if occasion should arise, and acting on the authority of the Attorney General, take my instructions on the matter.
§ MR. SUMMERSWill the hon. and learned Gentleman communicate with the learned Judge who tried the case?
§ SIR E. CLARKEI am afraid it would be irregular to communicate with the Judge in the first instance; but I have no doubt that I shall hear from the Judge.