• Before the final passing of the "Members of Parliament
Charges and Allegations Bill," it became known that Mr. Parnell had instituted an action for libel against the Times in Scotland, laying his damages at 250,000, and that Mr. T. P. O'Connor and Mr. Redmond had instituted an action for libel against the Times in England. The dormer action, it is said, cannot possibly come on till January, owing to the business already occupying the Scotch Courts; and as the Judicial Commission is to open its sittings on October 16th, it will have made a good deal of progress before the Scotch trial can begin, if it begins at all. It is alleged that there is a technical difficulty in the way, owing to the Times having no property in Scotland over which the Scotch Courts could claim jurisdiction in case the suit went against that journal. We are not aware how far that difficulty is final, or only one which it depends on the Times to insist upon. But we do not suppose that in the ease of an action instituted at the very last moment, and obviously intended to interfere with the investigation of the Judicial Commission, the Times is called upon to remove any technical difficulty which may exist.
Previous page
