§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether District Inspector R. H. Tilly, of the Royal Irish Constabulary stationed now at Cavan, was, twenty-five years ago, admitted to the Constabulary Force as a cadet, having duly passed the medical and competitive examinations; whether a month or two after his examination, a question arose as to defect, due to hesitation in Mr. Tilly's manner of speech, and he was medically examined a second time and declared to be fit for service; whether in November last, it having come to the turn of Mr. Tilly to be promoted to the rank of County Inspector, he was summoned before a Council of three Officers at the Castle without being informed of the purpose of the summoning, and was informed two days after, by the Inspector General, that his character, private and official, was without reproach, but that, so far as concerned promotion, he was to be passed over; whether the defect of speech referred to is of greater moment in regard to the office of District Inspector than to that of County Inspector; and, whether, in view of the length of Inspector Tilly's service, and of the fact that he has a large family dependent upon him, the Government will allow him the promotion to which, in the regular course of seniority, he has become entitled?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-TYNE), in reply, said, this case came by way of appeal before the Earl of Carnarvon and the late Chief Secretary. The facts were laid very fully before them both in the 1489 reports of the examiners and of heads of the office, and also in memorials and testimonials submitted by Mr. Tilly. The conclusion arrived at was that no sufficient reason had been shown for interfering with the decision arrived at after full and careful consideration of all the circumstances.