§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether John Henchey, of Bodyke, County Clare, a farmer and blacksmith, has been deprived of his licence to carry arms, and thereby prevented from protecting his crops from vermin; and, whether Henchey has ever been charged with any crime; and, if not, why has his arm's licence been revoked?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said, the arm's licence of Henchey had been revoked. This man had not been charged with any offence; but the authorities did not consider him to be a fit person to hold an arm's licence. With regard to the allegation that he had been thereby prevented from protecting his crops from vermin, he might mention that Henchey stated that the gun did not belong to him, but that he borrowed it from the owner. He refused to give the owner's name.
§ MR. COXsaid, the right hon. and gallant Gentleman had not given the reasons why he had been deprived of his licence.
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANsaid, the reason was because he was not considered a fit person to hold a licence.