§ MR. O'HANLON (Cavan, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If Constable Foster, late of Meath, but now of County Derry, served in Belfast during the late riots; if, after returning to Meath, he took so ill that he had to go to hospital for a period of three weeks; if, on leaving hospital, his doctor ordered him to a northern station for the good of his health; if, for spending a few hours with his friends the night before his transfer, he was ordered back from County Derry to County Meath at his own expense and fined; what was the amount of the said fine; will this fine keep him back in his right to promotion; and, will the Government reconsider this matter?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.), in reply, said, that the constable named had served in Belfast during the riots, and subsequently became ill, and was transferred to Meath, as mentioned in the hon. Member's Question. Before he proceeded to the North he absented himself for five hours, and was convicted before a Constabulary Court and lined £2. The fine would, as far as it went, militate against promotion. There did not appear to be any ground to proceed further in the matter.