§ MR. FREWENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he had heard of the custom lately adopted in parts of the counties of Cavan and Westmeath, by the peasantry, of assembling and practising with hall cartridge on Sundays and holidays? His informants, that such a practice was prevalent, were magistrates of the counties. He wished also to know, if the case were as he was informed, whether the Government intended to interfere by any Act to prevent the continuance of such a state of things?
§ MR. LABOUCHEREhad not received any official information of such practices existing. As to the second question, it was not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce in the present Session of Parliament any measure to prevent them. He should, however, say that the magistrates who had conveyed the information to the hon. Gentleman, should have communicated it to the Government in Ireland. Had they done so, the facts would have been immediately inquired into.