§ MR. ROBY (Lancashire, S.E., Eccles)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the statement which was made by Mr. J. H. P. Leresche, Stipendiary Magistrate, in the course of hearing a charge of assault at the County Police 1899 Court, Manchester, on Tuesday, the 10th inst.—
The colliers of Pendlebury have for a long time past been notoriously devoid of moral sentiments, and have thought they can do just as they like";and to the fact that Mr. Leresche, having been requested by the miners' agent of the district to withdraw his statement, has declined or omitted to do so, and has not denied the accuracy of the report of his words; and whether it is his intention to take any notice of the language used by Mr. Leresche?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI have called the attention of the learned Stipendiary Magistrate to this question, and he informs me that he did not at any time, either in so many words or in substance, use the language imputed to him; and that he has been frequently assured by those who were in Court at the time that the words were never used by him. It is not my intention to take any action in the matter.