§ MR. P. M'HUGH. (Leitrim, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has observed that Mr. Justice Murphy, in addressing the Grand Jury of Sligo at the opening of the Connaught Winter Assizes recently held in Sligo, congratulated them on the unexampled immunity from crime of all kinds in the Province of Connaught at the present time; and whether, in view of the peaceful condition of the Province, he will withdraw all extra police now stationed in it, so as 1601 to relieve the inhabitant ratepayers from additional taxation?
§ MR. BRYCE (for Mr. J. MORLEY)The language used by the learned Judge was to the effect that there was little serious crime to be tried at the Connaught Assizes. An extract from his charge was read by me in answer to a question last Thursday. The only force of extra police now serving in the province of Connaught is one of 65 men in the East Riding of Galway, and the question of the possibility of reducing this extra force will be taken into careful consideration in the course of next month.