§ MR. BIGGARasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If it is the fact that two Annual. Licensing Sessions are held in each year for the county Antrim portion of the borough of Belfast—namely, the Recorder's Annual Licensing Sessions in September, and the County Court Judges' Annual Licensing Sessions in November; is he aware that such last-mentioned Sessions, at which county justices attend, is availed of by applicants who have been refused their certificates by the Recorder, very much as a court of appeal, although fresh notices are served, and that, in most cases, such second application is directed and encouraged by the said Recorder; is it desirable that the Recorder's adverse decisions should be reviewed and reversed by a bench of justices having almost no interest in the Borough; and, is it according to Law that there should be more than one Annual Licensing Sessions for a district in the year; or that the Board of Inland Revenue should 1651 accept certificates from two clerks of the peace for licences for the county Antrim portion of the borough of Belfast?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)It is a fact, as stated, that two Licensing Sessions are held in the borough of Belfast—one being held by the Recorder as the sole Judge of the Borough Sessions, and the other by the County Justices in that portion of the county which lies within the borough of Belfast. I am not aware of any appeal; but it is no doubt the fact that persons refused licences by the Recorder have applied again to the County Justices sitting in the town of Belfast.