§ MR. LALORasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If he is aware that a 500 copy of the following Minute has been forwarded to respectable publicans in the Queen's County:—
Maryborough Quarter Sessions Court,21st June, 1881.Sub-inspector Grene having reported to the Bench that several licensed persons in the district had since last quarter sessions obstructed the constabulary in the discharge of their duty by refusing to lend them cars for their conveyance on duty, the Chairman directed the sub-inspector to give notice to the parties referred to, that their licences would not be renewed at next annual licensing petty sessions;and, if magistrates in petty sessions in Ireland have the legal power to refuse to renew the licences of respectable persons because they refused to lend on hire their cars to constables?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)Sir, I find that the magistrates assembled at quarter sessions at Maryborough on the 21st of June made the Minute stated in the Question of the hon. Member, subject to this qualification—that the refusal referred to was not a refusal to lend cars to the constabulary, but a refusal to hire them. Magistrates in petty sessions in Ireland have, I apprehend, legal power to withhold their certificate of "good character" from any licensed publican keeping cars for public hire who is shown to have assisted in obstructing the constabulary in the discharge of their legal duties by refusing to hire them the cars which he professes to keep for hire by all corners. The object of the Minute in question was, no doubt, that the police should give such publicans due notice that their applications for certificates of good character would be opposed.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)The refusal to give cars to the constabulary for the purpose of obstructing them in the reasonable discharge of their duty would, I think, be inconsistent with the maintenance of a good character.