§ MR. BLANE (Armagh, S.)I beg to ask the Solicitor General for Ireland if Petty Sessions Clerks are prohibited from acting as newspaper editors or publishers; if the presentment at Drogheda Summer Assizes, Nos. 57 and 56, make payments for contracts as publisher of the Drogheda Conservative to a Mr. M'Dougall, who is Clerk of Petty Sessions for the districts of Termonfeckin, County Louth; Julianstown, County Meath; and Duleek, County Meath; whether complaints have reached him that Mr. M'Dougall keeps his office in Drogheda, several miles beyond his Petty Sessions district, notwithstanding the rule that Potty Sessions Clerks should keep an office for the issue of summonses within their district; and, if so, will the Government require him to keep an office in each district of which he is Petty Sessions Clerk?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN,) University of DublinThe Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks is informed by the Clerk of Petty Sessions mentioned that his father is the proprietor, editor, and publisher of the newspaper referred to, and that if he himself is described as publisher in the presentment book it is a mistake for which he is not responsible. No complaint has been received by the Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks as to the situation of the clerk's office, and the clerk states that no such complaint was ever made to him; but that the inhabitants of all the districts find it convenient to apply to him in Drogheda. For some time after his appointment he attended at stated intervals at each of his districts to issue summonses; but finding that the public did not apply there he discontinued these attendances. If upon communication with the magistrates of the districts, or in consequence of any complaints that may be made to the Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks, it should appear that inconvenience has 1577 resulted from the present system attendances in the districts will be again resumed.