§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the case of Joseph, Daniel, Patrick, and Francis Farrell, who were on the 14th of April last, convicted before a Bench consisting of 11 Magistrates at Limerick, for illegal fishing on the waters of the Shannon Fishery Company, Limited, whether the defendants were each fined £1 and costs, and if the Lord Lieutenant has remitted the entire penalty then imposed; and if he can state the grounds for His Excellency's action in this case, whereby private rights, secured by Act of Parliament, are imperilled?
MR. J. MORLEYIt is the fact that the four persons named were convicted and fined as stated in the question. The fines were remitted by the Lords Justices in the exercise of their discretion, and after consultation with the Local Justices, who had expressed their approval of the remission.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)May I ask if it is in Order to place on 1147 the Paper in the form of a question an assertion that, owing to His Excellency's action, "private rights, secured by Act of Parliament, are imperilled"? Is not that a debatable question?
§ MR. SPEAKERI presume the Court went into the question of private rights, and that the question was put in that connection.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLHad not these men been previously convicted?
MR. J. MORLEYI believe two of them had. I may say the Local Justices concurred in the remission of the fines.