§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, Chelmsford)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can inform the House why the Studdert case was compromised; and whether the defendants could have been prosecuted on another charge.
The following Questions on the same subject also appeared on the Paper.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLTo ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state whether Colonel St. Quentin is the member of the Imperial Yeomanry Committee, whose duty it was to inspect the remounts for the South African War, who made the arrangement with Major Studdert for the purchase by him of horses in Ireland for the South African War; and will he say why Colonel St. Quentin was not called as a witness at the trial in Dublin of the Secretary of State for War v. Studdert and others.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLTo ask the Secretary of State for War whether he was aware of the terms under which the action of the Secretary of State for War v. Studdert, for fraudulent breach of contract as agent 519 and trustee, was compromised by the Solicitor General for Ireland as counsel for the War Office, and did he personally assent thereto; and, if so, will he state the grounds on which his assent was based.
§ MR. BRODRICKIn reply to these Questions, I am afraid that I am not yet in a position to add anything to my answer of yesterday, but I hope to give an answer on Tuesday next. I may, however, say that no pledge of any kind has been given as to civil proceedings in reference to the remaining horses, or as to prosecution of individuals.