§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 848 Were charges of drunkenness and assault brought against the Recess police by Thomas Lydon on the 3let October 1884; why was not a sworn inquiry granted, as demanded, and were the charges forwarded; did the police at Recess then bring two charges against Thomas Lydon, and were the cases dismissed; did the police then bring a charge against Thomas Lydon in connection with illicit whiskey, and was it dismissed on the merits; did the police appeal in the latter case, and did the Recorder of Galway attribute partiality to the Bench who dismissed the case, consisting as it did of two resident magistrates; was Lydon then convicted; and, will the Government obtain from the resident magistrates their opinion on the case, and consider the advisability of remitting the fine?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThomas Lydon brought charges of assault and drunkenness against the police at Recess in a letter which he wrote to the District Inspector in November last. The District Inspector investigated the charges, and came to the conclusion that they were groundless. He so informed Lydon, and added that it was open to him, if he wished, to proceed against the police at Petty Sessions. Lydon did not do so, nor did he ask for a sworn inquiry, and the charges were forwarded to the County Inspector. Subsequently, the police brought two charges against Lydon—one for leaving his car on the road without a driver, and the other for furious driving. The first charge was withdrawn, and the second dismissed. Lydon was also charged with having illicit whiskey in his possession; but the Bench, on which there were two Resident Magistrates, dismissed the case on the merits. The Recorder of Galway afterwards reversed this decision, on appeal, and convicted Lydon, and I understand he expressed the opinion that the case was a very clear one. If Lydon desires a remission or mitigation of the penalty imposed, the proper course would be for him to address a Memorial to the Lord Lieutenant, and the facts of the case would then be investigated.