HC Deb 09 August 1905 vol 151 cc814-6
MR. SLOAN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state the nature of the evidence on which the police allege that Mr. Magenis and his servants have invented the story of the shooting incident at Drumdoe, Boyle, on. 11th July last; and whether he will order a sworn investigation, at which all the parties can be examined.

MR. WALTER LONG

My hon. friend is under a misapprehension. It has not been alleged by the police authorities or by me "that Mr. Magenis and his servants invented the story of the shooting incident." I stated that the conclusion arrived at by the police was that no bona fide attack had been made on the house of Mr. Magenis. There is no power to order a sworn investigation as suggested.

MR. SLOAN

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether, in view of the letter which appeared in The Times on Monday, written by Mr. Magenis. stating that an outrage had occurred, he would make further inquiry.

MR. WALTER LONG

said the letter which appeared in the Press was practically a facsimile of the letter which Mr. Magenis originally addressed to the police authorities in which he made his complaint. The police investigation had been of the most complete character, but, as he had already told the House, the matter was still under his attention, because he did not think it ought to rest exactly where it was.

MR. T. M. HEALY

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether he could not send some independent person, not connected with the police, to make the investigation.

MR. WALTER LONG

did not think the suggestion, which had been already under his consideration and that of those who advised him, would lead to any satisfactory result. He was determined, however, that if possible the whole mystery should be cleared up.

MR. MACVEAGH

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the circulation amongst Members of both Houses of Parliament and 500 newspaper editors of a publication containing the story of a supposed attack on a house at Boyle; whether the Government has any responsibility for the issue of this publication; and, if not, whether any steps will be taken by the Government in the matter of the circulation of statements calumniating whole districts in Ireland.

MR. WALTER LONG

The reply to the first and second inquiries is in the negative. In reply to the concluding inquiry, the Government have no power to interfere in the matter as suggested.

MR. MACVEAGH

Will the right hon. Gentleman, who says he would be glad to know the authors of these stories with a view to proceeding against them, inquire if the pamphlet was not published by Lord Ashtown, who has publicly invited subscriptions to enable him to circulate stories of similar bogus outrages. Will the right hon. Gentleman take proceedings against him?

MR. WALTER LONG

It is quite obvious that the person responsible for the original circulation could not have been Lord Ashtown.

MR. MACVEAGH

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Lord Ashtown issued a pamphlet dated August 5th, in which he repeats in the most exaggerated form the whole story?

*MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!

MR. FLAVIN

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why the poker broke Mrs. Magenis's head?

[No Answer was returned.]