LORD FRENCH'S ARTICLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17213, 15 July 1919, Page 7

LORD FRENCH'S ARTICLES.

QUESTIONS IN COMMONS.

SPEAKER FORBIDS DISCUSSION.

In the House of Commons recently, Sir Donald Maclean asked Mr. Shortt, as acting-leader of the House, whether his attention had been drawn to the interesting but controversial articles on the early months of the war, and purporting to have been written by Lord French, viceroy of Ireland; whether the publication of such articles was considered by the Government to be part of the duties and responsibilities of that high office. The Speaker : Order, order. The hon. member is not entitled to ask any question concerning the Viceroy of Ireland. If he has any criticism to make he must dc it by putting a motion down and raising it in the ordinary course of debate. Major Ormsby-Gore asked whether it would be in order to raise the question on Lord French's position as FieldMarshal and therefore subject to the King's Regulation. The Speaker: No. Lord French is Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and his salary comes up on the Consolidated Fund. That being so, he is one of the persons among others who is exempted from criticism, except in special form. Sir Donald Maclean asked if the development of the Viceroy of Ireland into a British journalist would affect the position. The Speaker : That is a statement the hon. member should not make, especially standing at that box, and especially after what I have said.