MR. HERBERT (Buckinghamshire, Wycombe)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether he has seen the statement of a correspondent in the Daily Graphic for Friday, 26th July, that a moonlighting outrage occurred, and that, owing to the light being bad, he induced the actual perpetrators to pose for a photograph at a more convenient time; whether he is aware that the photograph is so disposed that the faces of the perpetrators are concealed; and will he say whether the names of the perpetrators have been communicated to the police: and in these circumstances, seeing that this correspondent on his own confession is an accessory after the fact, will proceedings be taken in the interests of law and order.
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. CHERRY,) Liverpool, ExchangeI have read the statement referred to in the Question. The inspector-general of the Royal Irish Constabulary has no information in regard to the alleged photographing, nor have the names of the perpetrators of the alleged outrage been communicated to the police. In the inspector-general's opinion it is scarcely credible that a number of persons who had been engaged in a moonlighting outrage would voluntarily pose for a photograph in the presence of a possible witness against them, and I must say that I am of the same opinion. In the circumstances there is obviously no evidence upon which the newspaper correspondent could be prosecuted.
MR. HERBERTMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the meaning of his Answer is that the story of the correspondent as recorded in the Daily Graphic is a flight of imagination?
§ MR. CHERRYThe hon. Member must take his own meaning out of it.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the result of their inquiries is that the Government do not believe that any such outrage took place at all?
§ MR. CHERRYPersonally, I do not believe it did.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDCan the right hon. Gentleman suggest any means by which newspapers can be prevented, not only from publishing false statements, but from actually reproducing pictorial representations of them?
§ MR. CHERRYI am afraid I. do not see any means by which we can proceed against newspapers.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that photographs of imaginary scenes at Cork Assizes have also been produced?
§ Sir HOWARD VINCENTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is only following the example of the Morning Leader in regard to the Chinese labour cartoon?
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDIs it not the fact that the pictures to which the hon. and gallant Gentleman refers were sketches, and those referred to in the Question were photographs?
§ Sir HOWARD VINCENTWhat difference does that make?
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDA good deal of difference.
§ MR. CHERRYI have not seen the Morning Leader, and therefore I cannot say.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a case in the books in which a man was prosecuted for a libel on a whole people when Buonaparte was first Consul?
§ [No Answer was returned.]