§ MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple), said he had to ask a question of serious importance, Was it a fact that two of His Majesty's Ministers had that day appeared in the police Court and been fined? The matter was, of course, of the very gravest importance. Those Ministers were the Attorney-General and the Secretary to the Board of Education. Also, in respect of what offence were these fines inflicted? The Attorney-General was supposed to be the embodiment of law and order in this country, and if he himself was allowed to break the law, then things had come to a very serious pass indeed. The Secretary to the Board of Education had the management of the children of this country, and it would be a serious matter if every schoolmaster throughout the country knew that the Secretary for Education was guilty of breaking the law.
§ SIR A. ACLAND - HOODsaid he appeared on behalf of his hon. friend the Member for Oxford University, whom he did not see present. He had made careful 816 examination into this case, and he understood that his hon. and learned friend the Attorney-General would answer and prove his own innocence. He was merely a passenger in a motorcar. The person who, he was sorry to say, was responsible for the excessive speed of the motor-car and was fined, and who, in fact, emulated the example of Jehu the son of Nimshi, was his hon. friend the Member for Oxford University. When he returned to the House after, he hoped, a not very long absence, he would be able, no doubt, to explain the circumstances in which this unfortunate occurrence took place.
§ THE. ATTORNEY - GENERAL (Sir ROBERT FINLAY, Inverness Burghs), who was received with laughter and cheers, said he was happy to say that the Attorney-General had not been prosecuted, and had not been find for any offence whatever.