§ MR. GILHOOLYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is a fact that a man named Maurice Healy has been arrested and charged with the murder of a gamekeeper named Daniel Harrington at Glengarriff; whether Healy has been remanded 16 times; whether he has been kept in prison from the 14th February to the 22nd May; and whether evidence in support of this grave charge has been given against Healy; and, if not, whether he will be compensated for the wrong inflicted on him?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am informed that the Magistrates acted in the ordinary way. I am not aware that there is any necessity for compensation in the matter.
§ MR. SEXTONIt appears that this man has been remanded 16 times successively. I ask the right hon. Gentleman to lay on the Table of the House a copy of the evidence on which the Magistrates felt justified in ordering 16 successive remands. I have not known of such a case in the whole of my experience.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI believe the Magistrates acted on the evidence adduced before them.
§ MR SEXTONUpon what legal principle does a Magisterial tribunal act in remanding a man for 16 times?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Magistrates act on the probability of being able to obtain evidence.
§ MR. SEXTONMay I ask the Home Secretary if he has ever known a similar case?
§ MR. MATTHEWSYes, Sir. Remands of this kind are a matter of daily occurrence. There is a case in Wales which is exciting great interest, in which the prisoner has been remanded over and over again.
§ MR. SEXTONI shall feel it my duty to call attention to this case on the Vote for Law and Courts of Justice in Ireland.
MR. MAC NEILL (Donegal, S.)As a matter of fact, was not one of the Magistrates a paid agent of the Government—a Resident Magistrate?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have not the least idea.