MR. OWEN LEWISasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If his attention has been called to a letter from Mr. Mulhallen Marum, a magistrate of the Queen's County, which appeared in the "Leinster Express "of March 24th; and if it is true that the Queen's County grand jury refuse to pass any present- 615 meat for the maintenance of destitute children who have been sent by the magistrates to the Catholic Industrial School at Artane, although a presentment has been passed by the same body in favour of a Protestant Industrial School; and, if it is the case that magistrates have been obliged to give up sending destitute children when Catholics to an Industrial School in consequence of the grand jury's refusal to provide the necessary funds?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACHI have received from the hon. Gentleman a copy of the letter, but I have not any other knowledge of the circumstances, nor have I any control over the action of the Grand Jury in the matter. It appears from the letter sent to me that although the Grand Jury have refused such a presentment in the case of a single child at the Assizes last year, the application was not renewed at the last Assizes, and consequently I do not think it would be at all fair to imply, as the hon. Member does in the Question, that the Grand Jury of the Queen's County are not willing to provide the necessary funds for sending Catholics to industrial schools.