§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant 1253 of Ireland, Whether, in the case of the recent reversals of the Crimes Act decisions of Resident Magistrates by the Court of Exchequer, the Government will agree to pay the costs of the prisoners? because, if not, those poor people, although they may have escaped some portion of the imprisonment to which they had been sentenced, would be still subject to a very heavy fine in the payment of the costs of appeal. In one of those cases where a man was discharged after a fortnight's imprisonment very heavy costs were incurred, and the Court gave him no costs. In the case of Mr. Walsh the costs of the argument in the Court above were given to him; but the prisoner incurred heavy costs in the Court below, for which no provision had been made by the Crown. I wish to ask whether the Government intend to pay the costs of the defendants in these cases where the decision of the Court below has been reversed, and where the prisoner has escaped the sentence that had been awarded?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)If the hon. and learned Gentleman will give me proper Notice of the Question by putting it upon the Paper I will give him an answer; but it is not a Question I could answer at short Notice.