§ MR. PENROSE FITZGERALD (Cambridge)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if Mr. James O'Neill, recently appointed a magistrate at Kinsale, County Cork, held, at the time of his appointment, a retail publican's licence; if he still holds a publican's licence; and if he is the owner of a pawnbroker's establishment?
§ MR. FLYNNIs not Mr. James O'Neill Chairman of the Kinsale Harbour Commission, and was he not elected to that position both last year and this by a unanimous vote? Has it not been the invariable custom to appoint the holder of that office to the Commission, and was not that practice dropped by the present Leader of the Opposition, while he was Chief Secretary for Ireland?
*MR. J. MORLEYI believe the facts as stated by the hon. Member are correct. The gentleman referred to, who is also the Chairman of the Town Commissioners of Kinsale, has been appointed a Justice of the Peace for Kinsale under the provisions of the Towns Improvement Act, 1854, the term of his appointment being limited to one year. The jurisdiction of a Justice appointed under this Act dialers materially front that of a County Magistrate, and the fact of the gentleman in question being a publican does not seem to constitute any legal disability.
§ MR. FLYNNWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the propriety of keeping this gentleman on the Commission of the Peace so long as he holds his present office?
§ [No answer was given.]