§ MR. P. A. M'HUGH (Armagh, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, although in the Petty Sessions District of Kinlough, in the County of Leitrim, 95 per cent. of the Parliamentary electors are Nationalists, not one Catholic or Nationalist holding the Commission of the Peace for the County of Leitrim resides in that district; is he aware that more than six mouths ago the Lord Chancellor of Ireland was requested, by memorial and otherwise, to appoint to the Commission of the Peace for the County of Leitrim, amongst others, Mr. Patrick Fergus, P.L.G., a Nationalist residing in Kinlough Petty Sessions District; has Mr. Fergus been yet appointed; and, if not, will he be appointed; has the Lord Chancellor of Ireland communicated with the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Leitrim in regard to the appointment of Mr. Fergus; and, if so, with -what result; did the Lord Chancellor before or since the 5th instant make any appointments to the County Magisterial Bench in Ireland without the recommendation or approval of Lords Lieutenant of counties; and, if so, how many such appointments were made, and when; and does he propose to make his statement, promised on the 1st instant, as to the whole system of the appointment of County Magistrates in Ireland, and the action which the Lord Chancellor will be prepared to take?
MR. J. MORLEYI answered this question on a previous occasion; I suppose the hon. Member is not aware of that. There are 71 Magistrates for Leitrim, nine of whom are Roman Catholics. The Lord Lieutenant did decline to appoint Mr. Patrick Fergus, and the Lord Chancellor has not yet made up his mind whether or not to appoint him without the Lord Lieutenant's recommendation. The Lord Chancellor has made 11 appointments to Irish County Benches without recommendations from Lords Lieutenant, and he has several recommendations from other sources still under consideration.
§ MR. P. A. M'HUGHThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last paragraph of the question.
MR. J. MORLEYIf the hon. Member will postpone that till after Whitsuntide I shall then have had an opportunity of conversing with the Lord Lieutenant on the subject.
§ MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Mr. Fergus has no other qualification for being made a Magistrate except that he is a Nationalist residing on the Kinlough Petty Sessional District? Can he read and write?
§ *MR. DANE (Fermanagh, N.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Mr. Patrick Fergus is the gentleman who, at Ballyshannon Petty Sessions, in March, 1887, was three times convicted of assaults, two of which were on police constables whilst engaged in the discharge of their duty?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! These are reflections on individuals, and the question had better be put when an immediate answer can be given.
MR. J. MORLEYThis, of course, is not an appointment with which I am concerned. It rests with the Lord Chancellor, who, no doubt, will make full inquiries.