§ Mr. NIELDasked the Attorney-General if his attention has been called to the observations of the hon. Mr. Justice Channell at the Chester Assizes with regard to the prosecution of Miss L. C. Wilson for alleged political intimidation, that if he knew who instigated the prosecution he should be inclined to make an order against him to pay the costs if he had the power; whether he will state who instigated or conducted the prosecution; and whether any and what sum has been or will be paid out of county or public funds in respect of the prosecution?
§ Sir RUFUS ISAACSMy attention has been called to this case and to the remarks reported in "The Times" to have been made by the learned judge at Chester. An information upon which the prosecution was founded was laid before the magistrates by Samuel Rowlands, and the magistrates adjudicated on the evidence in support of it by a committal for trial. Nothing was heard of the case by the Attorney-General until it was reported to him that the accused had been committed for trial by the magistrates, when he1408W directed the Director of Public Prosecutions to take charge of the prosecution—a course which is not at all unusual. The costs of the prosecution will be paid out of the county rate in the ordinary way.