§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether the Irish Government are taking steps to institute proceedings against the editors of the Freeman's Journal and Evening Telegraph respectively for alleged contempt of court in connection with the recent case of the Crown v. P. A. M'Hugh, M.P.; if so, what are the grounds on which these proceedings are taken, and under what statute; and are there any other newspapers, either in Ireland or England, which commented upon the disagreement of the first jury who tried the case to be proceeded against.
§ MR. ATKINSONAn application for an attachment for contempt of court on the 12th February was made against the journals mentioned. The contempt consisted in publishing comments on a pending prosecution calculated to prejudice the fair trial of the issues raised. The application was grounded on the common law, not on any statute, and is not yet disposed of. I am not aware that comments of the same character were made by any other journals.
§ MR. FLYNNIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that The Times newspaper commented on the first disagreement of the jury?
§ MR. ATKINSONThe comments in the journals mentioned in the question were comments to prejudice the trial of the action.
§ MR. DILLONThey were comments against the action of the Crown.