§ MR. BARRYasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If it is true that in 11 November last Mr. Thompson Cooke, master of the Newry Union, along with two men, John Rodney and Bernard Rodney, was arrested on a charge of having conspired to utter a forged document purporting to be the will of Mr. Edward Graves Howard, of Damolly Park, Newry, then deceased; whether Mr. Cooke has been permitted by the Local Government Board to continue the discharge of his functions as master of the workhouse; and, if the Local Government Board will retain him in his position whilst such a grave criminal charge is pending?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)Mr. Cooke was arrested on a charge of being concerned in an alleged will forgery, and was admitted to bail. The case has not yet been tried. The Board of Guardians, after full consideration of the circumstances, decided to retain Mr. Cooke in his position pending the trial, and the Local Government Board have not considered it necessary to interfere with the decision of the Guardians.