§ Mr. ERSKINEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that when three men, named Hogan, Cooley, and Roche, were recently found guilty of stealing machine guns, etc., from Chelsea and Windsor barracks, Mr. Justice Coleridge, who tried the case, in referring to another man called Fitzgerald, is reported to have said that the magistrate had let Fitzgerald off for some reason, yet he seemed to be the organiser of the whole affair; whether this man Fitzgerald is the brother of Desmond Fitzgerald, who was chief of propaganda to the Irish rebel delegates; and what was the reason for Fitzgerald being withdrawn from the case?
§ Mr. SHORTTYes, but as I have just said in reply to another question, the learned judge subsequently expressed the view that, having regard to the evidence available, the discharge of Fitzgerald at the police court was perfectly proper.