§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the case of a man named John Lalor, charged with assaulting a policeman, in which the original information was not produced; whether he has noticed that Major Hutchinson, R.M., is reported to have said "We'll have to report this Petty Sessions' Clerk as he is perfectly useless," and that Mr. McLeod the other R.M., said, on the solicitor for the defence complaining that he had not seen a copy of the informations, "That is a great disgrace;" and, whether the magistrates have reported the circumstance, and what was the nature of their report?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I have obtained a report in reference to this Question, from which I find that the remarks mentioned therein were made by Major Hutchinson and Mr. M'Leod, and had reference to the original information in the case, which could not be found in the absence of the clerk who has been for some time in delicate health. The magistrates afterwards decided to defer action in the matter until the next Petty Sessions, when they considered that should the official documents not be in proper order, or the clerk not able to attend to his duties, some steps should be taken.