HC Deb 13 March 1888 vol 323 cc1071-2
MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Did the Irish Lord Chancellor dismiss Mr. John Byrne, of Wallstown, Castle Mallow, from the Magistracy for sitting at Petty Sessions in Fermoy in his own County (Cork); if so, can he explain the practice of paid Magistrates sitting in more Petty Sessions districts than one, and even in more counties than one; and, why are unpaid Justices dismissed for doing the same thing which paid Magistrates constantly practice?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University)

The case of Mr. Byrne is not at all analogous to that of a Resident Magistrate, who is paid to devote his whole time to the Public Service, and who is not appointed with reference to a single Petty Sessions district; but is bound to attend all Sessions in his jurisdiction, so far as time permits. As to the reasons which led the Lord Chancellor to take action in the case of Mr. Byrne, they fully appear in the correspondence which was published in the newspapers by Mr. Byrne.

MR. T. M. HEALY

I beg to give Notice that on the Vote on Account I will draw attention to the dismissal of unpaid Magistrates for going ten miles outside their destination; while paid Magistrates who received large sums from the country for travelling expenses, do the same thing, and are promoted accordingly.

Subsequently,

MR. JOHN MORLEY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne

May I ask the hon. and learned Gentleman the Solicitor General for Ireland, in reference to an answer that he has already given to the hon. and learned Member for North Long- ford, whether he sees any objection to lay on the Table the correspondence to which he has referred between the Lord Chancellor and Mr. John Byrne?

MR. MADDEN

The correspondence to which the right hon. Gentleman refers was, as I stated, published in the newspapers by Mr. John Byrne. With reference to laying it on the Table of the House, I do not like, on my own responsibility, to make any statement as to that. If the right hon. Gentleman will be good enough to put the Question on the Paper I shall be prepared to answer it.