HC Deb 09 February 1897 vol 46 cc17-8
MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) is he aware that the Mayor of Cork was denounced on Sunday from the altars of the Roman Catholic churches in Cork, in consequence of his having attended officially at the consecration of the Bishop of Killaloe on the previous Tuesday; and (2) that, in St. Fin Barr's Chapel, the Right Rev. Monsignor Maguire, the Mayor's parish priest, declared that the Mayor would hand down the chain of office stained with the memory of the outrage committed; and (3) whether, considering the effects previously produced in Ireland by altar denunciations, the Government propose to take any action in these cases?

MR. J. C. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

asked Mr. Speaker's ruling upon this question. As it contained an innuendo against the characters of two distinguished priests, was it not a form that transgressed the rules of order?

*MR. SPEAKER

I understand this to be a case in which the hon. Member states certain facts upon his own authority, and he must take the responsibility of doing so. ["Hear, hear!"]

MR. FLYNN

It is the second paragraph of the question to which I specially call attention. ["Hear, hear!"]

*MR. SPEAKER

I do not see anything contrary to order.

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

I have seen a newspaper report of the addresses alleged to have been delivered on the occasion in question, but I have no other information as to the nature of the language used. The Government have no intention of taking any action in the matter.

MR. W. JOHNSTON

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Cork Corporation—two-thirds of whom are Roman Catholics—authorised the Mayor to attend officially at the consecration of the Bishop of Killaloe? [Cries of "Why not" and "What has that to do with it?"]

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

I do not see that that makes any difference or affects the question so far as the Government are concerned. ["Hear, hear!"]