§ COLONEL KING-HARMANasked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether the Act 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 68, which enacts, in the 13th section, that no sheriff or sub-sheriff in Ireland shall be capable of holding a licence to sell beer, cider, or spirits by retail, to be drunk on the premises, is the Act under which all publicans' licences are granted in Ireland at the present date?
§ MR. SEXTONasked, whether there was a case in which the Act was put in force?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALKER)Sir, the 3 & 4 Will. IV., c. 68, is an integral part of the present Licensing Code, and may, I think, rightly be described as the principal Act for the purpose mentioned in the Question.
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANWell, as every subject of the Queen is now supposed to know the law, will the High Sheriff of Drogheda be prosecuted for holding a public-house?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I fully explained the circumstances under which His Excellency selected Mr. Mangan as High Sheriff; and it is obvious that, under those circumstances, no blame could attach to Mr. Mangan for a want of acquaintance with the law, which was shared by the Irish Government.
§ MR. SEXTONMay I ask if the Irish Government will point out to Alderman Mangan the course which he should take?
§ MR. TREVELYANwas understood to say that the Irish Government could not undertake to do so.