HC Deb 17 July 1893 vol 14 cc1697-8
MR. T. M. HEALY

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is he aware that a sergeant of the Royal Irish Constabulary, Ballymahon, found Robert Nash, of Castlecor, County Longford, illegally carrying a double-barrelled gun on 15th February last, being a person unlicensed under the Peace Preservation Act or the Gun Licence Act; was Nash prosecuted under those Acts; and, if not, why; is he aware that Mr. Bond, J.P., intervened in the case; and has the matter been investigated?

MR. J. MORLEY

The facts are as stated in the first paragraph of the question. Nash was summoned before the Magistrates under the Gun Licence Act, but the hearing had to be postponed as only one Magistrate was present. Subsequently, and before the next hearing, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue were satisfied by Mr. Bond, Nash's employer, that although a technical offence against the Gun Licence Law had been committed, it was committed through ignorance, and without any intention to defraud the Revenue. In these circumstances, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, acting under their statutory powers, consented to withdraw proceedings on condition that Nash took out a gun licence, which he has done. As regards the offence against the Peace Preservation Act, it appears that Nash had a licence which had belonged to his father, and that it had been irregularly transferred to him by verbal arrangement with the late Resident Magistrate of the District. In these circumstances, the Police Authorities decided not to take up the case. Nash has since obtained a proper licence under this Act also.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Is it not a fact that when this man was arrested he had no licence at all? And have not other people, who are not Orangemen received three months' hard labour for similar offences under the Act?

MR. J. MORLEY

So far as I can probe the matter, the fact of his being an Orangeman is not to the point. Nash thought the transfer of his father's licence was sufficient and entitled him to carry a gun. There was no wilful evasion of the Act.

MR. W. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that if the man had not been an Orangeman he would have paid any licence at all.