§ MR. BIGGAR(for Mr. JUSTIN M'CARTHY) (Longford, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true that Mr. Patrick O'Beirne, of Castlepollard, was, in 1884, recommended to the Lord Lieutenant of the county of Westmeath, by the Granard Board of Guardians, for the Commission of the Peace, and that the recommendation was refused on the ground that he was then a member of the National League, and had been a member of the Land League, and that the same recommendation was sent, about two months ago, to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and again refused; if the reason for the refusal was the same in the latter instance as in the former; and, if the Government are of opinion that no man is qualified for the Commission of the Peace in Ireland who is a member of the National League, or was a member of the Land League?
THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. STANSEBLD) (Halifax)(who replied) said: It is the fact that Mr. O'Beirne was recommended in 1884 to the then Lord Chancellor (Sir Edward Sullivan) by the Granard Board of Guardians for the Commission of the Peace, and was not appointed. The Executive are not aware of the reasons for that result. The application is now before the present Chancellor, who has not yet come to a decision upon it. I understand there is no such rule of disqualification as is suggested in the last paragraph of the Question.