§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to the following report, which appeared in The Star of June 21:—
The sentence of three months' imprisonment passed on Mr. James Halpin for the Ennis meeting was yesterday confirmed at the Quarter Sessions by County Court Judge Kelly. An application to make the prisoner a first-class misdemeanant was refused. Colonel Turner gave evidence of the circumstances attending the meeting at Ennis in an old corn store. Judge Kelly: How is it you did not arrest the promoters of the meeting?—The Witness: They did not give me the chance.—Judge Kelly: Oh, yes, they did. They came down here from Dublin. It is hard to punish poor people, and allow these fellows, the organizers, to go free.—The Witness: I would be only too glad to arrest them if I thought I had a chance. The Judge: Their presence was quite enough. You had the placard and the articles in United Ireland calling on the people to go and hear Mr. Davitt;and, whether, if a prosecution is instituted, he will undertake that no part of the proceedings will be heard by Judge Kelly, in view of the fact that the prosecution was recommended by him?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.), in reply, said, the learned Judge did not admit the accuracy of the printed version of what occurred; and, as regarded the 1135 last paragraph, it was not intended to institute any further prosecution.