§ MR. M. AUSTIN (Limerick, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a letter was sent to Dublin Castle by Mr. William O'Sullivan, of Newcastle West, County Limerick, complaining of the conduct of Mr. Dawson, clerk of Petty Sessions there, for having used to him, at Newcastle West on the 11th instant, threatening language calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, and of which letter an acknowledgment was received on the 21st instant; whe- 14 ther Mr. Dawson, after having received from Dublin Castle notice of the complaint, did, on the 24th instant (a fortnight after the alleged offence) issue a summons for assault against Mr. O'Sullivan, notwithstanding that a Petty Sessions Court had been held on the 18th instant; whether he is aware of the strong feeling existing in the district by reason of the conduct of Mr. Dawson in connection with this case, and his manner of discharging the duties in connection with his office; and whether he will call the attention of the proper authority to the matter, and inquire as to the very serious charges preferred against this officer under the late administration?
MR. J. MORLEYThe facts are correctly stated in the first paragraph. It is also a fact that the Petty Sessions clerk has summoned O'Sullivan for assault on the occasion in question; and, under these circumstances, it is undesirable to say anything in the meantime which might be calculated to prejudice the Magisterial investigation.