§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he has seen the report in the London Daily Telegraph of the 3rd 1824 instant, of proceedings under "The Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887," at Skibbereen, on the 2nd instant, stating that a man named Samuel Paul Kingston, who is 80 years of age, and his wife, were brought before Messrs. Warburton and Major Caddell, Resident Magistrates, charged with taking forcible possession; that from the evidence it appeared that the defendants were evicted from their farm on the 20th of February last, and that they went back into one of the out-houses, and when asked to leave said they had no place to go but the roadside; that, notwithstanding the request of Dr. Lewis, J.P., the landlord, that the defendants might be dealt with leniently, and the entreaties of Mrs. Kingston to the magistrates not to send the old man to gaol for the first time in his life as he was very delicate, the Bench sentenced the old man to one month and his wife to a fortnight in Cork Gaol; and, whether, taking the circumstances into account, he will consider the propriety of advising the Lord Lieutenant to exercise his Prerogative in this case, and remit the sentence on this old man and his wife?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I understand that the man Kingston, sentenced to a fortnight's imprisonment for taking forcible possession, is about 75 years of age; that the proceedings were at the suit of the landlord; and that these persons were only prosecuted after repeated warnings. But, taking all the circumstances into account, I shall be glad at once to lay the matter before the Lord Lieutenant, if the prisoners will enter into an engagement not to offend again.
§ MR. FLYNNThe right hon. Gentleman is going to make inquiries. Might I remind him that the forcible possession complained of in this case was the mere occupation of an outhouse?