§ MR. LANE (Cork County, E.)asked the Solicitor General for Ireland whether it was a fact that there was no Catholic Magistrate resident in the Petty Sessions of Castlemartyr; upon what grounds did Lord Bandon recommend Messrs. Green and Dring to the Lord Chancellor to be lately appointed to vacancies on the Bench in this district; is Mr. Green an Englishman, having no property in the district; does Mr. Dring own any property in the district; were the names of some suitable 375 Catholic gentlemen submitted to Lord Bandon for those vacancies; and whether, as there was not a single Catholic Magistrate in the contiguous Petty Sessions Districts of Youghal and Castlemartyr, he would recommend the Lord Chancellor to favourably consider a direct memorial from each of those districts?
§ MR. MADDENI am informed that in 1881 a Roman Catholic gentleman who resided in Castlemartyr was appointed to the Commission of the Peace for County Cork. This gentleman now resides temporarily elsewhere, but during the last two years he has attended Petty Sessions on several occasions. Messrs. Green and Dring were in 1881 recommended for the Commission of the Peace by Lord Bandon, on the ground that they were fit and proper persons to be appointed. I have no information as to whether Mr. Green was or was not an Englishman, but the fact of his being an Englishman would be no disqualification. Mr. Green resides in the district, and is possessed in right of his wife of landed property there. Mr. Dring is the only son and heir of a gentleman 80 years of age, and possessed of an estate in the district. Mr. Dring acts as his father's agent and manager. I have no information as to whether the names of any Catholic gentlemen were submitted to the Lord Chancellor, but the desire of Lord Bandon is simply to secure the appointment of fit and proper persons.