§ MR. BOWLESI beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General whether he has recently appointed three gentlemen to be prosecuting counsel to the Treasury in London; whether any, and, if so, which, of these gentlemen is a Scotsman or an Irishman; and whether there was no Englishman qualified and competent for these posts.
§ SIR W. ROBSONI appointed these gentlemen without inquiring as to their particular or local nationality in the United Kingdom. They are, however, I believe, all members of the English Bar, and, so far as I know, they are all Englishmen.
§ LORD R. CECILMay I ask the hon. and learned Gentleman whether he will use his influence with his colleagues to see that a similar procedure is adopted with reference to all appointments in. Scotland and Ireland?
§ SIR W. ROBSONI cannot promise that I will. I myself take a somewhat Unionist view of this matter.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, W.)Why should not an Irishman be appointed if he be the ablest man of the lot?
§ SIR W. ROBSONI know of no reason whatever. In fact, I am not sure that in my recent appointments the hon. Member will not find an Irishman, though I do not profess always to be able to distinguish between an Irishman, an Englishman, and a Scotsman.