THE PARNELL CASE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2624, 7 May 1889, Page 2

THE PARNELL CASE.

(my KLKcrniu tkleoraimi.—■ copviiight.) London, May .'i. To-day the cross-examination of JMi" Parneli was continued. Sir \i. E. Webster read several articles in the Irislunan, in wliich persons committing crime were highly eulogised. Mr Parnell admitted those were calculated to encourage the use of physioil force. lie disapproved of some of the speeches delivered liy Mr Dillon, but it was not within his province to reprove him for them, Mr Parnell admitted that the statement made by him in the House of Commons on January 7th, 1881, to the effect that secret societies had ceased to exist in Ireland, was intended to deliberately mislead the House as to his views, owing to the rejection of Mr Forstor's Habeas Corpus Suspension Act. His statement was a gross exaggeration, intended to produee an impression of the influence of the National League. (This admission created a tremendous sensation, which was intensified by Mr Parnell's cynical nonchalance. There was also some hissing.) Mr Parnell admitted that secret societies and crime had ceased in Ireland after the Arrears in Rent Act had come into operation. lie assumed that some of the books of the Land League were in the possession of Egan, but the cash book, the letter books and ledgers had disappeared.

Sir James Hannen said he attached great importance to the fact that the books had been lost, and Mr Parnell promised to try and recover them. He stated that the accounts of the Land League had never been audited. He had often remonstrated with O'Br'en, but never publicly repudiated his utterances.