§ MR. JOHN MORLEY (Montrose Burghs)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland how many Members of this House were sentenced to terms of imprisonment with hard labour, by Courts sitting under The Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act of 1887 between July in that year and September, 1892. How many Members have been sentenced to hard labour by such courts from November, 1901, to the present time. How many persons have been sentenced by such courts to further terms of imprisonment in default of giving bail to be of good behaviour between 1887 and November, 1892, and of these how many were Members of this House. And how 481 many persons have been sentenced to further terms in default of bail since November, 1901, and of these how many were Members of this House.
§ MR. WYNDHAMParliamentary Paper No. 158 of 1889 shows that up to May 16th of that year two Members of this House, Mr. Thomas Condon (East Tipperary) and Mr. Edward Harrington were sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labour (7th February, 1889) and six months with hard labour (31st December, 1888) respectively. A third Member, Dr. Tanner, was sentenced to hard labour on July 29th, 1889. I have, on my present information, no reason to believe that hard labour was imposed on any hon. Member at a later date. From November, 1901, to the present time, six hon. Members have been sentenced to hard labour by the Court of First Instance, in two cases the hard labour was remitted on appeal. The appeals in the other four cases are pending. In reply to the third paragraph, the number of persons sentenced to further terms of imprisonment, in default of giving bail, between 1887 and 1892, was 106, of whom two (Mr. William O'Brien, Cork City, August 26th, 1889, and Mr. Gilhooly, Cork West, same date) were Members of this House. Since November, 1901, thirty persons have been sentenced to further terms in default of bail, and of these five are Members of Parliament. In the case of one Member the further term was remitted on appeal.
§ MR. JOHN MORLEYDoes the right hon. Gentleman adhere to his figures of 1,601 given the other day?
§ MR. WYNDHAMYes, applicable to all persons, including Members of Parliament.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENIn view of the fact that it happened that all the removable magistrates began exactly at the same time to give hard labour, will the right hon. Gentleman state on what date he issued instructions to them to do so?
§ * MR. SPEAKERI hope hon. Members will allow Questions to proceed. That Question does not arise out of the Question on the Paper, and notice must be given of it.
§ MR. WYNDHAMSir, may I, as a matter of personal explanation, beg leave to say that I utterly repudiate the suggestion that I gave any such instructions? [NATIONALIST cries: "It is true."
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWhat about your agent?
§ MR. O'SHEE (Waterford, W.)Can the right hon. Gentleman explain the discrepancy—[MINISTERIAL cries of "Order."]
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder order! The Question on the Paper has been fully answered. If the hon. Member wishes for further particulars, he can put down a Question on the subject. I quite understand that this subject excites deep interest among hon. Members below the gangway, but still I hope that they will remember the Rule that Questions must be relevant to, and arise out of, the Question on the Paper.
§ MR. O'SHEEMr. Speaker, kindly allow me to put my Question, and if it is not in order, I will bow to your ruling.
§ * MR. SPEAKERAfter what I have said, I will trust that the hon. Member will not put a Question which does not really arise.
§ MR. O'SHEECan the right hon. Gentleman explain the discrepancy between the number of Members of this House asked to give bail in addition to the sentence of hard labour imposed on them in the period from 1887 to 1892, and the period from November last to the present time?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThat is an argument arising upon the answer; it is asking for an explanation of the facts, or what the hon. Member thinks are the facts.