MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the proceedings of the guardians of the Mullingar Union on Thursday last, when notice was given that on that day fortnight the board would take action with regard to a speech made in Parliament by the honourable Member for Roscommon, which they characterise as vile and unclerical, with a, view to having the honourable Member and his reporters excluded from the meetings; of the board and his paper deprived of the local advertisements; and whether the Local Government Board can take any steps to prevent guardians from refusing to give their advertisements to local papers on account of the political utterances of the proprietors and refusing to allow the Press to report their proceedings?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURMy attention has been drawn to a report of the proceedings referred to in the first part of the Question. The selection of the newspapers to which guardians may give their advertisements is not a matter in which the Local Government Board have power to interfere, nor have the Board any authority to interfere with their discretion respecting the admission of representatives of the Press to report their proceedings.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENArising out of that, I desire to ask again, and in order to explain the Question perhaps, Mr. Speaker, you would allow me to read in full the resolution referred to.
§ MR. SPEAKERI presume the honourable Member is referring to a question of privilege and not of order.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI would rather first of all read the resolution of the Mullingar Board of Guardians on Thursday last. It is as follows—
Mr. John Brennan moved, and Mr. Denis Shanahan seconded—'that on this day fortnight the board take action in regard to the vile and anti-cleric speech made by Mr. John P. Hay-den'"—
§ MR. SPEAKERI think the honourable Member, before he proceeds to read 1321 an extract to the House, should first state with reference to what he is about to read it.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENYes, Sir. I wish to ask whether it is a breach of the privileges of this House to attack and threaten an honourable Member with pains and penalties because of a speech he delivered in this House.
§ MR. SPEAKERYes, that is a point which can be raised.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN(continuing to read)—
The speech made by Mr. John P. Hayden last week in Parliament with a view to having his paper deprived of the advertisements of this union in future, and himself and his reporter excluded from our meetings.I desire to point out that the honourable Member for South Roscommon is not the Member for the division in which this union is included. This is practically a threat to deprive him of the means of earning his daily bread, because in the exercise of his duty in this House he made a speech in which he expressed not only his own opinions, but the opinions of the people of the whole county of Roscommon. I wish to know whether that is not a breach of privilege, and also what remedy has the honourable Member, and what period of time must elapse to deprive him of his right to move it as a matter of privilege?
§ MR. SPEAKEROffensive language, accompanied by threats with reference to a speech made by an honourable Member in this House, may raise a question of privilege, the decision of which would be entirely for the House. If the honourable Member desires to raise a question of privilege, let him hand in to the Clerk at the Table the report of the offending matter, and move upon it as a question of privilege. I am not giving any advice except upon procedure. It is a matter entirely for the House.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI thank you, Sir, for what you have said. The honourable Member for South Roscommon is absent, and I want to know within what time is it necessary for him to move?
§ MR. SPEAKERI can only say that it is always desirable in matters of privilege to act promptly.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI will endeavour to consult the honourable Member on the matter as to whether I shall raise the question myself.