§ MR. JUSTIN MCCARTHY (Longford, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(1) whether he is aware that in the northern division of the country of Longford the Quarter Sessions are held only twice in the year, that is, in April and October, and then only for one day each time, and that litigants and jurors from the Granard division of the county are compelled to attend at Longford four times yearly, a distance to most of them of more than 20 miles and without the advantage of railway communication; and (2) whether it would be possible to have the county divided for legal purposes as it now is for Parliamentary purposes, and to have the County Court judges sitting as often in the northern as in the southern division?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY, Newcastle-upon-Tyne)I understand the facts are stated with substantial accuracy in the first part of the question, though I am also informed that the transaction of the criminal business at Granard, as well as at Longford, would be attended with difficulty and inconvenience to witnesses. As regards the second paragraph, there is power to alter the existing divisions and to appoint additional places for holding Quarter Sessions, and if a memorial from persons resident in the county and interested in the subject be forwarded to the Lord Lieutenant the matter will at once be carefully considered.