§ MR. SHEEHY (Galway, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. What was the date on which Mr. Peter Sweeny was elected by the Loughrea Board of Guardians sanitary officer of the Union; what is the usual time it takes for the Local Government Board to consider elections of this kind; and, what is the specific nature of the objection, if any, the Central Board can make to the election of Mr. Sweeny?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.),in reply, said, the date of the election was May 20. There was no usual time for the consideration of such elections by the Local Government Board, who conveyed their decision as soon as practicable. Peter Sweeny had been imprisoned for three weeks in Galway Gaol; and the Board did not regard him as a fit and proper person to hold the office to which he had been appointed.
§ MR. SHEEHYWill the right hon. Gentleman say what was the charge for which Mr. Sweeny was imprisoned?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think the charge was for carrying arms without a licence. In 1882 this man was twice in gaol on suspicion, the suspicion being in one of these cases that he had been accessory to murder.
§ MR. SHEEHYAll Mr. Sweeny was convicted for was for having powder for carrying on his ordinary business.