§ MR. W. J. CORBET (Wicklow, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he will inquire into the circumstances under which Mr. F. C. Pilkington, Sir H. Cochrane, and Captain Quinn were let off with nominal fines by the Chief Magistrate at Kingstown for offences under the Cattle Diseases Acts; whether he has seen a newspaper report in which it is stated—
It was strongly urged upon the magistrates that such fines were entirely inadequate to the cases; but he was very peremptory, and said he considered they were not cases that called for exemplary fines;whether he is aware that the solicitors to the Guardians protested against the want of support afforded by the magistrates to the Guardians in their attempt to stamp out pleuro-pneumonia; whether his attention has been called to a Resolution unanimously agreed to by the Board of Guardians on the 11th instant, endorsing the protest of the solicitors, and drawing the attention of the magistrates to the fact that ignorance can hardly be accepted as an excuse from any person for the violation of the Orders in Council and Regulations of the Local Authority, which have been before the public for a very long period; and, whether he will take steps to secure the infliction of more adequate punishments for offences under the Cattle Diseases Acts?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)This Question appears for the first time on the Paper issued this morning, and I have no information with regard to it other than that contained in the newspaper which the hon. Member who asks the Question has been good enough to send me. I have, however, called for a detailed Report on the matter.