§ MR. MACFARLANE(for Mr. GRAY) asked the Attorney General for Ireland, Whether it is a fact that of thirty-eight magistrates for Carlow county thirty-four are Protestant and four are Catholic, 1656 while the enormous proportion of the population is Catholic; and, whether it is a fact that all the magistrates are either landlords or land agents?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)Sir, there are 46 magistrates in the Commission of the Peace for County Carlow. Of these, 40, I understand, are of the Protestant, and six of the Catholic persuasion. Most of these magistrates are landlords, and some few are agents; but I am not able to ascertain whether there are any who are neither landlords nor agents. If this Question of the hon. Member is meant to suggest that any competent person has been excluded from the Commission either on religious or any other ground, I can only say that the names of the late and present Lieutenants of Carlow County, the late Lord Bessborough and Mr. Kavanagh, are sufficient guarantee that no such unworthy motive ever influenced them in their nominations to the Lord Chancellor for the Commission.