§ MR. KIRKasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to the charges furnished by the Inspector General of Constabulary for the maintenance of extra police in counties where no such extra police exist, and is he aware that the judges of assize have no option in such eases but to direct the grand jury in opposition to their wishes to fiat such presentiments; if so, does he contemplate any change in the law?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHSir. I am not aware that any county is charged for extra police where no extra police are sent into the county. Owing to the number of vacancies existing in the Constabulary throughout Ireland, it may, no doubt, happen that the number of men actually serving in some counties charged with extra force may be considerably less than the total nominal force 1269 of the county, including the nominal extra force. I think it possible that the law on the matter might be advantageously modified, and I had hopes that the Constabulary Bill which has just passed might have been utilized for dealing with it; but in the pressure of Business that was found impossible.