MR. P. O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been directed to the report in the Irish Daily Independent, of the 19th instant, of the trial and 1660 conviction of four soldiers, belonging to the Munster Fusiliers, on a charge of assaulting and wounding, with their belts, several persons in College Green, Dublin; whether he is aware that, although the proper Military Officer was informed by the police of the arrests, charge, place, and time of trial, no officer attended to give evidence as to character as required by the magistrate; and whether it is usual for officers to attend Civil Courts under such circumstances; and, if so, why was a different course taken in this case?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire, HorncastleThis case was one in which the Civil power dealt in the ordinary way with a charge of assault against a soldier. The offence was committed on the night following St. Patrick's Day. It is usual for an officer to attend when a soldier is charged before a Civil Court, and this course would have been followed in this case, but the notice sent to the Commanding Officer did not reach him in time.
MR. P. O'BRIENMay I ask, is it the fact that the Commanding Officer, having attended a banquet at Dublin Castle on St. Patrick's Day, was not in a condition for duty on the following morning?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!