§ MR. KENNYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If Mr. Charles Kelly, Q. C., County Court Judge for Clare, is in the habit of adjourning cases for hearing from one division to another merely to suit his own convenience, and to the serious dissatisfaction of the public; if, in the case of a farmer named Michael Fitzpatrick, who sought to attach the salary of a process server named Griffin for the amount of a decree obtained against him (Griffin) at a former quarter sessions, the case was adjourned from Ennistymon to Ennis and back again without 1304 the slightest necessity for such a course; if it is possible to ascertain the number of similar instances in which litigants have been put to great expense in trivial cases by the action of Mr. Kelly; and, whether steps may not be taken to remedy the state of facts complained of?
§ MR. TREVELYANCounty Court Judges are not responsible to the Executive Government for the manner in which they exercise their judicial functions; but I thought it right, as this Question was put on the Notice Paper, that its terms should be submitted to the Judge named, for any observations that he might desire to offer with regard to it. He writes as follows:—
Sir, although in strictness I ought not to make any statement to the Government with respect to the discharge of my judicial functions, I have no hesitation in saying that the imputations contained in the Parliamentary Notice enclosed in your letter are absolutely and entirely groundless. In justice to me I trust that this answer will he read in the House.