HC Deb 23 February 1903 vol 118 c508
MR. SLOAN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a man named McDuff, who was convicted and fined in Belfast for keeping an illegal betting house, made application through his solicitor to have his books and papers, which were seized by the police, given back to him, which the magistrates refused; and will he explain by whose orders and on what grounds an order was sent from Dublin Castle to hand them back.

MR. WYNDHAM

The magistrates made no order in respect to either the detention or return of these books and papers. There was no clause of forfeiture in the Statute and it would have been unjustifiable on the part of the police to have retained them. Directions for their return were consequently given.