§ COLONEL SAUNDERSON ( Armagh, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Circular of the Inspector General of Constabulary, dated 3rd July 1877, containing instructions how the police are to act in prosecuting cases of drunkenness, is still in existence; whether complaints have been heard from towns affected by it that it was productive of injury and loss in seriously impairing the efficiency of their Town Courts, and in depriving them of one-half the fines arising from cases where the offender was a non-resident of the town; whether the question of residence of offender, and not the place where the offence is committed, affects the case 1107 in a Town Court; whether the Circular is right in point of Law; and, whether, if not, the Government will now have it withdrawn, and give power to a town justice to determine all cases of drunkenness coming within his jurisdiction?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin University)(who replied) said: The Circular referred to in the Question has been cancelled by a subsequent Order, and is now no longer in force. The instructions under which the Constabulary act are founded on the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown, confirmed by judicial decision.