§ MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the action of Colonel Forbes and Mr. M'Carthy in fining the Downshire Band for playing with a Sunday School excursion in Belfast, on Saturday the 2nd July; whether the Loyal Union Band, playing sacred airs and "God save the Queen," while with the Ormeau Road Methodist Church excursion, was fined at the Petty Sessions, Belfast, on the 14th July; whether any attempt was made to interfere with the bands playing on the 12th of July; and, whether it is intended to take any steps with regard to this action of the magistrates?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said, that Colonel Forbes reported that on both the occasions the bands were fined because they caused a public obstruction after being cautioned by the police. 347 The second case, however, is still sub judice, as the Resident Magistrates complied with the request of the solicitor for the defendants to take the case to the Queen's Bench Division of Her Majesty's High Court of Justice.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)asked the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, If his attention had been drawn to a Resolution adopted at a great public meeting of the citizens, in which it was stated that, while they disapproved of band-playing, they considered the recent prosecutions of these bands illegal, and condemned the action of the Resident Magistrates, and affirmed that the course pursued was likely to arouse the passions of the population and to lead to disturbances of the peace? He would also ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Government would consent to such an alteration in the law as would give the defendants sentenced by Resident Magistrates the same right of appeal as in England?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANI have stated that in the second case the right of appeal has been granted.