§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, How many Members of the Orange Society, in the district of Ballymote, where the shooting affray occurred a few days since, have licences to keep revolvers; by whom the granting of these licences was recommended; and by whom the licences were granted; whether those Orangemen who hold licences to keep revolvers have paid for the Inland Revenue licence for leave to carry those weapons; whether, in particular, the three members of the Orange Society now in prison awaiting trial, on a charge of wounding persons with revolvers, had entitled themselves to carry revolvers by payment of the necessary fee, and procurement of the licence from the Inland Revenue Department; and, if not, will the Department proceed against them; and, whether their licences to have revolvers will be revoked?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, from inquiries made in the town of Ballymote, and within a radius of five miles round it, it has been ascertained that there are 1860 37 persons who have revolver licences under the Peace Preservation Act. Most of the licences were granted by the late Resident Magistrate of the district, Captain Gage. Of these 37 persons 34 are Protestants, and of these 10 are believed to be Orangemen; but as to this, the Licensing Officers and Constabulary have no positive means of knowing the facts. Of these 10 persons, eight obtained their licences on the recommendation of two Justices of the Peace, and two were personally known to the Licensing Officer. Only three of them have Excise licences this year. The persons arrested in connection with the recent affray in the district of Ballymote have not Excise licences. This was duly reported by the Constabulary to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. It rests with them to prosecute, and I understand that proceedings have been instituted. With regard to the revocation of the licences under the Peace Preservation Act, it is customary to await the result of pending legal proceedings before revoking such licences.