BY-ELECTION INCIDENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 624, 29 September 1909, Page 7

BY-ELECTION INCIDENT.

. DUKE OF NORFOLK'S LETTER; IDy Tnlecraph.-t'rcsa Ai.»i.rla(lrih-Coprrlctit I London, September 27. ( .Tho Committee of Privileges of tho House of .Commons-made, a. futilo inquiry into , tho -Duke .of .Norfolk's, alleged-breach of privilege' in'writing .to Mr. A: - Erofumo ' Unionist , candidate at ; High Peak) in tho interest of Unman Catholic;schools. The Committee recommends that no action bo taken in the matter, • • '•■ v''' ''■••• : ' '.v v." s * v \:'• THE DUKE'S HEPLY, At tho timo of the High Peak by-election campaign, the-Duke of Norfolk wrote to the Unionist candidate, Mr.. A. .Profumo, hi tho interest; of .Roman; Catholic schools. In view of ; tho. sharp, diilerenc'e''betwecn' tho Irish 'Nationalists in .the Ulousoi of C'oiiinious ,aud tile .. ltoniau .Catholic Church'authorities inrEng- ! land—as to'.whether lrish. legislative "bargains" ; with the\Liber&ls 'oi\.Roman Catholic Bchools .siiail s\friy 'tho ; lrish ; vbte ; .in English by-elccr ,'tions—tho action of, tho Duke led to a 1 prompt reprisal. ..'At ..the instance oftho. Nationalist ,leaders,i jlossrs;,'Dillon (mover) ■ and'. Redmond (socodder),' tho of Commons resolved that tho'Duko had- been guilty of a.bi'each of tho House's privileges 'uiider tha i .Sessional Ordor, ; which forbids'-Peers in;.'offairs; of . the Commons.• • : ... . .- • When-'the Committee of- Privileges met' to, •' consider further-iaotioni 1 a lettetV.was read'from . the .Duke of Norfolk pointing out that ths letter he wroto;ivas>addressed to; Mr..>'Profdmo,':tho :Unionists candidate'in,the election, and that the Duke responsible for; its publication. Beyond that,;.he ,did not know what.iriformation Was ~'desirod from, him j and it I ,was , hinted that if the' committee wished' forjhis atI tendance, the ■ 'course, 1 according to '.custom; • would be' for the Hoiisp of Commons formally ' :t0 request'the jHouse of Lords to'ask'his Graco to appear. ■ . •. " '■ -Now the. committee recommends.that no fur-. ! ther action bo'takim.-.^'';