THE PARNELL INQUIRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9320, 25 March 1889, Page 5

THE PARNELL INQUIRY.

SIR RICHARD WEBSTER'S ACTION

MOTION OF CENSURE. Press Association.Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. London, March 23. In the House of Commons, Sir William Vernon Harcourt moved his amendment criticising the action of Sir R. E. Webster, Attorney-General, in connection with the proceedings before the Times-Parnell Commission. He accused the Attorney-General of delaying to call Pigott until he had piled up everythinghe could which was likely to prejudice Parneli, though he was aware that Pigott'3 evidence was quite untrustworthy. Sir R. E. Webster, in replying to the strictures passed upon him by Sir W. Vernon Harcourt, said that Pigott had written him a letter admitting that he would not be able to stand the crossexamination, and this letter he (Sir R. E. Webster) handed to Sir Charles Russell, the leading counsel for the Parnellifces, five days before Pigott was called as a witness. He stated further that at the request of Sir Charles Russell he refrained from reading this letter to the Commission immediately upon its receipt. The apology published by the Times upon the collapse of the case with reference to the forged letters was written by him (Sir R. E. Webster), and he considered it was an ample apology. In the course of the debate, Mr. Parneli challenged any member present to avow his belief that the letters were actually written by him, as had been stated by the Times. Mr. Redmond's motion to reduce the Attorney-General's salary as a protest against his actions in the case, was negatived by a majority of 80.