§ MR. BLENNERHASSETTasked 'the Chief Secretary for Ireland, with reference to the recent appointment of Colonel Mollon as resident magistrate at Waterford, Whether that gentleman previous to his appointment at Water-ford had acted as a stipendiary magistrate elsewhere; if so, where, and for what period of time; whether it has not hitherto been the custom in Ireland always to appoint as resident magistrates gentlemen under forty years of age, and whether Colonel Mollon had not attained the rank of lieutenant colonel twenty years ago, and is not therefore, presumably, considerably above that age; whether Waterford is not from its importance as a city and seaport a station hitherto given to magistrates of long service and experience; and, if he will state the names, dates of appointment, and length of service of the resident magistrates in Ireland, if any, who applied to be transferred to Waterford when the vacancy occurred which was filled by the appointment of Colonel Mollon?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERSir, Colonel Mollon, C.B., who is an officer of distinguished military service, and who, I understand, took a leading part as a county magistrate a few years ago in Ireland, acted as stipendiary magistrate in the West Indies and the Bahamas for a year and for about two years at Gibraltar previous to an exchange being sanctioned between him and Mr. Byrne, one of the resident magistrates in Ireland. It has, I believe, been the custom to appoint gentlemen under 40 years of age, in the first instance, to the office of Resident Magistrate. Colonel Mollon was no doubt over that age at the 1751 time of his transfer from his Colonial appointment to his present post; but the hon. Gentleman will observe the distinction between the transfer in question and an entirely new appointment. Colonel Mollon's experience at the important seaport of Gibraltar was considered a special qualification for the office he now holds at Waterford. With regard to the last paragraph of the hon. Gentleman's Question, it would not be in accordance with the usual practice or, I think, in the interest of the public service if I were to enter into the details indicated.