HC Deb 28 May 1906 vol 158 cc77-8
MR. MCHUGH

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of his instructions to Crown Solicitors in Ireland, with regard to the practice of directing jurors to stand by.

MR. CHERRY

I have issued no now instructions to Crown Solicitors with regard to the practice of directing jurors to stand by, but prior to the last March Assizes I wrote a circular letter to each Crown Solicitor in Ireland calling his attention to the Rule issued on February 12th, 1894, by which Crown Solicitors are directed not to order any jurors to stand by on account of their religious or political opinions, and impressing upon these officials the importance of strict compliance with the Rule. I do not think that it would be in accordance with precedent to lay on the Table of the House copies of correspondence between the Attorney-General and the Crown Solicitors.

MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)

If the instructions are followed, how is it that an exclusively Protestant jury was empanelled in Mr. Ward's case?

MR. CHERRY

I have given the best Answer I can.