§ COLONEL COLTHURSTasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the alleged refusal by a magistrate (Mr. R. Pratt) attending Ballincollig, county Cork, Petty Sessions, to grant certificates for licences to keep a gun to several respectable far- 791 mere of the locality, stating that he would not give certificates to any Land Leaguers or persons who attended Land League meetings; whether the said magistrate did, not refuse a certificate to the parish priest; and, what steps will the Government take so as to enable the persons thus unjustly treated to obtain a re-consideration of their case by sore other magistrate than Mr. Pratt?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER ,in reply, said, he had received a letter from the magistrate referred to, in which he stated that he did not refuse a certificate to the parish priest, nor did he refuse certificates to respectable farmers. As to the last paragraph of the Question, the Government could not interfere with the magistrates in the exercise of their discretion as to the granting of certificates.