§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can explain what special circumstances influenced His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to interfere to procure a licence for Charles Mitchell, of Shantonagh, County Monaghan, in opposition to the wishes of the inhabitants of the locality, the clergy of various denominations, and the landlord of the townland, and the repeated refusals of the Magistrates and the County Court 1915 Judge to grant such licence; whether he can give the name and denomination of the clergyman who is alleged to favour the granting of a licence to Mitchell, and give the number of Mitchell's customers, in addition to the inhabitants of the police barrack, the only house within a considerable distance of the licensed house, who are said to be anxious for drinking facilities; whether it is a fact that two of the three Resident Magistrates who attended the Castleblayney Licensing Sessions on the 20th July, reside outside the County Monaghan; and, if so, where do they reside; can he explain why they attended the Castleblayney Licensing Sessions; whether Mitchell's temporary retail licence will in the meantime be renewed; and whether he will advise the Lord Lieutenant not to give Mitchell any further help, either by the aid of Resident Magistrates, or by the use of His Excellency's influence with the Board of Inland Revenue, to establish what the inhabitants of Shantonagh regard as a source of demoralisation in their midst against their declared wish?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOUR(1 and 2) Charles Mitchell has held for some years a spirit-grocer's and beer-retailer's licence. The granting of a temporary publican's licence to Mitchell, pending the decision to be come to on his application to Quarter Sessions, was recommended by the Lord Lieutenant in the exercise of his discretion. The application to Quarter Sessions has not been opposed by the inhabitants of the locality. Two clergymen are opposed to it, and one, the Reverend Mr. Knox, a Presbyterian, favours it. I am informed that the number of Mitchell's customers in favour of the licence could not be readily ascertained, but that the great majority undoubtedly are so. (3) One of the Resident Magistrates referred to is a Magistrate for the County Monaghan, and had been acting for some months in the Castleblayney district. He lives at Armagh. The other who is likewise a Magistrate for the County Monaghan is Resident Magistrate for the greater portion of the sub-district in which the licensed premises are situated. He lives at Virginia, County Cavan. (4) They attended as Resident Magistrates connected with the Quarter Sessions district. (5) The temporary licence has 1916 been renewed until the hearing of the application at the Annual (October) Licensing Sessions.