§ MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland "whether the office of doctor to the police at Kilconnell, New Inn, and Woodlawn Police Stations (County Galway), held until his death by the dispensary doctor (Dr. Deely), has now been divided, Dr. Rutherford being appointed to Kilconnell, Dr. O'Farrel to New Inn, and Dr. Leonard to Woodlawn; why Dr. M'Merney, who succeeded Dr. Daly as dispensary doctor, and who applied to be appointed police doctor, got neither of the three stations, though he lives within two miles of each of the three, whereas Dr. Rutherford lives at Ballinasloe, eight miles from Kilconnell, Dr. O'Farrell at Loughrea, 10 miles from New Inn, and Dr. Leonard at Athenry, 18 miles from Woodlawn; whether there is any question as to Dr. M'Merney's qualifications and capacity to discharge the duties of police doctor; whether he is aware that frequent com plaints have been made recently as to the irregularity of the visits of Dr. Rutherford, who holds the appointment of visiting physician to Ballinasloe Lunatic Asylum, that Dr. O'Farrell is the son of a local Crown prosecutor, and has never previously held any public appointment, and that Dr. Leonard is over 70 years of age; and why the ordinary practice of appointing the dispensary-doctor police doctor, till recently a rule of the force, has been departed from in this case?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary Authorities report that the facts are as stated in the first three paragraphs, except that Dr. Leonard resides at a distance of only 12 miles by train from the place mentioned. The public service will not be served by discussing the qualifications of individual candidates. No complaints have been received as to the appointment of Dr. Leonard, who is not over 70, but only 61 years of age. Dr. O'Farrell, for the last two and a half years, has been a Constabulary Medical Attendant. The rules referred to in the last paragraph were abolished in 1883, and no such rule is now in existence.
§ MR. M. HEALYWill not the right hon. Gentleman interfere, and see that a doctor living on the spot is appointed?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not see why I should interfere with the Constabulary Authorities in the exercise of their discretion.
§ MR. M. HEALYWas not Dr. M'Merney passed over because he is a Nationalist?
§ [No reply.]