§ MR. GILHOOLY (Cork, W.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of 1825 Ireland, If it is true that two guns which have been seized at the house of a man named Denis Murphy, who resides at Denyerkane (near Bantry), have been returned; if Murphy or his sons had licences empowering them to keep these guns at the time they were seized; if Messrs. Cronin and Warburton, both resident magistrates, distinctly stated that the guns would not be returned to the Murphys; if Mr. Cronin further stated that, from what he knew of Timothy Murphy, he considered he was not a fit person to be entrusted with firearms; if, in opposition to the wishes of the resident magistrates, Messrs. J. W. Payne and J. E. Barrett, both local justices of the peace, have signed certificates for Denis Murphy, junior, and Timothy Murphy, enabling them to procure licences to carry firearms; whether Denis Murphy, junior, awaits his trial at the next assizes to be holden in the city of Cork for firing at, with intent to kill, a respectable young man named William Cottes; if the police are aware that Denis Murphy, junior, and Timothy Murphy have on various occasions presented revolvers and threatened to shoot various persons; and, if the above statements are true, whether the licences given to the Murphys will be revoked, and the attention of the Lord Chancellor will be called to the action of the local magistrates in connection with this matter?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)On April 30 last the police seized two guns in the house of Denis Murphy, senior, as he had no licences to keep them. Subsequently his two sons obtained the usual recommendations from Messrs. Somers-Payne and Barrett, were granted licences limited to their father's farm, and had the guns returned. A prosecution is pending against the father for having these arms without a licence. The Resident Magistrates did not state that the guns would not be returned, and Mr. Cronin's observation was, I believe, to the effect that Timothy Murphy was an untrustworthy person. Mr. Warburton had no option, under the sub-section of the Act, but to give the licences on the certificate of two magistrates. That sub-section the Government propose to omit from the Continuance Act. I understand, however, that it was not in opposition to Mr. Warburton's wish that the li- 1826 cences were given. The question of revoking Denis Murphy, junior's, licence must await the result of his trial. The police are not aware that on various occasions the Murphys presented revolvers and threatened to shoot several persons.