§ MR. MINCH (Kildare, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware of an application made to the Grand Jury of the County Kildare, at Naas Assizes, on Tuesday last, on behalf of Sergeant Griffin, Royal Irish Con- 513 stabulary, of Athy, for compensation for injury caused him by a tramp from another county whom he had arrested in Athy; whether he will state the amount of compensation awarded by the Grand Jury; and whether there is any means of protecting ratepayers in an Irish county from being obliged to pay compensation for injuries inflicted by strangers from other counties, under such circumstances?
MR. J. MORLEYI am informed that a sum of £900 was awarded as compensation by the Grand. Jury of the County Kildare under the circumstances stated in the first paragraph of the Question, the amount to be levied off the county at large. Under the Grand Jury Act, 1836, the compensation is payable by the county within which the offence has been committed, though it was open to the ratepayers to protect themselves by traversing the presentment.