§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware of the difficulty in the city of Cork of obtaining the attendance at the Police Office of the unpaid magistrates; if he could state on how many days in the past two years the Court was obliged to be adjourned or was detained in consequence of their non-attendance, thereby occasioning loss and inconvenience to the professional gentlemen, officials, and witnesses who were obliged to attend; and, whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a list of the unpaid magistracy of the city of Cork, together with the list of the days appointed for their several attendance at the Police Office, Cork, setting forth therein the number of attendances of the respective magistrates for the years 1885 and 1886?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)The Clerk of Petty Sessions reports that the Cork Police Court was never, during the last two years, adjourned for the want of attendance of magistrates, but that there have been occasions when the business was delayed by the unpunctuality of magistrates; and there have been also some occasions when a particular case had to be put off in consequence of the requisite number of magistrates not being present to dispose of it. I do not think that any useful object would be gained by the presentation of such a Return as is suggested, but I will look further into the matter as soon as possible; and I must say generally that I think it is a question deserving grave consideration whether magistrates who do not do any work ought to be retained in the Commission of the Peace.