§ MR. HAYDEN (Leitrim, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Mr. P. O'Brien, M.P., on his release from Tullamore Prison on Wednesday morning, after completing a term of four months' imprisonment, was re-arrested and conveyed to Kilkenny to undergo a further term of three months; whether this latter sentence was inflicted while Mr. O'Brien was in custody on the first charge; whether, under the circumstances, the sentence should run from the first day of the Sessions; whether this practice was followed in the case of the hon. Member for South Galway (Mr. Sheehy); and, whether any power lies with a Judge deciding an appeal to stay the execution of one sentence until that inflicted by another Judge shall have terminated?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The facts are as stated in the first and second paragraphs of the Question. In the case referred to in the fourth paragraph, the Judge directed that the sentence should run from the first day of the Sessions. No such direction was given in the case of the hon. Member for North Monaghan. As regards the legal question suggested as to the commencement of the term of imprisonment in the latter case, I have directed the matter to be submitted to the Law Officers for their opinion.