HC Deb 12 March 1888 vol 323 c870
MR. MURPHY (Dublin, St. Patrick's)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true, as reported in a Dublin newspaper, that the Lord Lieutenant, on Memorials, reduced two fines of £10 each, imposed by a Dublin police magistrate, for offences against the Margarine Act of last Session to £2 each?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)

(who replied) said: It is the case that the Lord Lieutenant, on Memorials, reduced the fines in question as stated. The Act under which the fines were imposed had only come into force on the 1st of January; and having regard to the circumstances in these cases brought under the notice of his Excellency he considered that a substantial reduction of the penalties should be made, and in this the magistrate who tried the cases concurred.

MR. MURPHY

asked, would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman inform the House why, if those people had a right to appeal, they were not allowed to use that right; and why such a remedy as that described had been resorted to in lieu of the right of appeal?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

said, that the Act only came into operation this year.

MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

Might I ask why the same course was not taken when the new Law of Coercion came into operation?

[No reply.]