§ MAJOR O'BEIRNEasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If he will state on what grounds Michael Kelly, of Drum Kieran, county Leitrim, was arrested, on the 9th March last, under the Protection of Person and Property (Ireland) Act; if a careful investigation into the circumstances of the crime which caused his arrest was made by the county inspector, resident magistrate, and sub-inspector of the district; whether it is a fact that previous to his arrest Michael Kelly had borne a good character; and, if the authorities under the Local Government Board have given out-door relief to the prisoner's family?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)Sir, Michael Kelly, of Drumahaire, not Drum Kieran, was arrested, as stated in the Lord Lieutenant's Warrant, and in the Return presented to Parliament, pursuant to the Protection of Person and Property Act, on the ground of being reasonably suspected of having, since the 30th September, 1880, been guilty, as principal, of a crime punishable by law—that is to say, assaulting and beating one of Her Majesty's subjects—committed in a prescribed district, and being an act of violence, and tending to interfere with the maintenance of law and order. Careful investigation was made into the circumstances of the crime which caused his arrest. Previous to his arrest he had borne a bad character, and had been repeatedly convicted at petty ses- 1867 sions for assaults and other breaches of the peace. The Local Government Board have not received any application from the Guardians of the Union in which Drumahaire is situated for authority to give outdoor relief under Section 2 of the Protection of Person and Property Act.