§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether it is true that John M'Govan was dismissed from his position as teacher of Conimas National School, county Cavan, in February 1875, on a charge of writing a threatening letter; whether, at Summer Assizes, in same year, the Attorney General refused to prosecute on the ground that the letter was not of a threatening nature; whether the National Board refused to confirm his appointment to Derryral National School, on the charge of his having sent the threatening letter, although he had been honourably acquitted of the charge; and, if these facts are true, whether he will recommend any compensation to John M'Govan, seeing he was fifteen years a teacher under the National Board?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHI have made inquiry into the facts of this 389 case, and I find that John M'Govan was arrested in February, 1875, on a charge of having written a threatening letter. In the first instance he was admitted to bail, but he was again arrested on notice being given by his surety that he had reason to think he was going to leave the district. The then Attorney General did not direct a prosecution, being of opinion that the terms of the letter itself were not sufficient to sustain one. But although this was technically the case, the letter was obviously of a menacing character, and was followed by a grave outrage on the person to whom it was written; and M'Govan admitted that he had written it. Under these circumstances, he was dismissed from his office of teacher, and the National Board have since refused to confirm his appointment to another school. It does not seem to me a case for compensation, nor can it properly be said that he was "honourably acquitted of the charge" against him. His misconduct was sufficient to establish his disqualification for the office of a National teacher, though it was considered not to amount to a legal crime.