§ MR. MACVEAGHI beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that The Times newspaper is issuing from week to week a black list of publishers, and is inciting the public to boycott all volumes issued by such publishers; and whether it is his intention to institute proceedings against the proprietors and managers of The Times newspaper for criminal conspiracy to injure other publishers, or to ask for an injunction to restrain them from continuing to publish the black list referred to.
§ THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir JOHN WALTON, Leeds, S.)This matter is not being officially brought to my notice, and I have formed no opinion on the legality of the proceedings referred to. Some of the elements of criminal conspiracy seem to be lacking, and I do not as at present advised propose to take any action.
§ MR. MACVEAGHasked whether the hon. and learned Gentleman was not aware that to this criminal conspiracy the manager and proprietor of The Times were parties, and was he not also aware that proceedings had been taken in hundreds of cases against persons in Ireland for far flimsier reasons.
§ [No Answer was returned.]