§ MR. STACK (Kerry, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant 739 of Ireland, If it is a fact that offences committed against the Town Improvement Act of 1854 within the township of Listowel are tried at Petty Sessions, thereby depriving the ratepayers of the town of a sum amounting to £150 per annum. to which they are justly entitled; and, whether he will communicate with the Constabulary Authorities, with a view to directing the local police to bring all prosecutions which may be instituted under the Act before the Town Court instead of at Petty Sessions?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said, the Inspector General of Constabulary informed him that cases of persons in which the offence took place outside the township were tried at the Petty Sessions, and in these cases the magistrates got one-half the fines; but offences against the Towns Improvement Act, and offences such as drunkenness, committed in the town, were brought before the Town Court. Such being the case, any recommendation, such as that suggested in the Question, would be unnecessary.
§ MR. DEASY (Mayo, W.)said, as a matter of fact, the townspeople did not derive any benefit from the cases which were decided at the Petty Sessions.
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANsaid, he had answered the Question from the information he had received; but he would make further inquiries on the subject.