§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to a statement of 1442 Lord Denman,†a member of His Majesty's Government, made with reference to cattle raiding, that the people of Ireland had reason for what they were doing, and to another statement of the same noble Lord that cattle raiding was not a crime of a serious nature; whether he is aware that within two days of Lord Denman's speech counsel for several persons indicted for driving cattle at Tohenagh, county Roscommon, pleaded these statements in defence of the prisoners; and whether he has given any instructions to Crown prosecutors in Ireland to treat offences of this kind as venial.
§ MR. BIRRELLIt would be quite irregular to discuss, by way of Question and Answer in this House, a statement made by a member of His Majesty's Government in another place. I may, however, say that the remarks quoted in the Question taken from their context convey a very wrong impression of what the noble Lord said on the occasion. The Answer to the concluding part of the Question is in the negative.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered that portion of the Question which deals with cattle driving at Tohenagh.
§ MR. BIRRELLI believe it is a fact that the solicitor for the defence made some reference to the speech delivered in another place, but I have no control over him.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGDid not the solicitor take the same view of that statement as we do?
§ MR. BIRRELLI think it is possible.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGIt is true.