THE O'DONOGHUEasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ire- 1191 land, If it be a fact that certain members of the M'Mahon family, who had been evicted by Archdeacon Bland, and had taken refuge in a shed on their former farm, no notice of their eviction having been given to the relieving officer, as required by law, had each of them to be fined in a maximum penalty for trespass; and, whether he will see that the Killarney Board of Guardians takes the steps necessary to put the law in force against Archdeacon Bland for not giving notice to the relieving officer of his intention to evict M'Mahon?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERI have ascertained that certain members of the M'Mahon family who had been evicted took possession of the cow shed on the farm, and were fined at the Petty Sessions for trespass. With the exception of the wife, who paid the fine, the other members were sent to prison for a week in default of finding bail. I have had no representations made with regard to the imprisonment. As regards the power and discretion of the Guardians in prosecuting anybody who evicts a tenant without giving notice to the Guardians, I find there are some doubts as to whether that discretion naturally lies with them or not; but up to now it is considered more or less discretionary. I have directed a case to be laid before the Law Officers to ascertain if the Statutes are in favour of that opinion.