§ MR. SHEEHYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, has he made any further inquiries whether an estate bailiff, named Moran, employed by Lord Clanricarde, occupied a seat on the Bench at the Petty Sessions Court held at Woodford on the 13th instant; from whom, besides Colonel Longbourne, R.M., who presided, has he sought for information; does Colonel Longbourne still adhere to his statement that no one but the Magistrates sat on the Bench; and will an opportunity be afforded the hon. Member for East Galway, who was present in Court on the above day, on sworn evidence, to prove that the bailiff Moran sat on the Bench during the holding of the Court?
MR. J. MORLEYColonel Long-bourne now informs me that Moran, though not employed as a bailiff, is employed in some other capacity in the office of Lord Clanricarde's agent. It further appears that Moran stood for a short time on the Bench at Woodford Petty Sessions Court on the date mentioned, and that he was there at the invitation, not of Colonel Longbourne, but of Lord Clanricarde's agent, who was one of the Magistrates presentation the occasion. I am not aware that there is any means of preventing a Magistrate from inviting to the Bench any person whom he pleases, but, at the same time, I am of opinion that it is objectionable, having regard to the relations existing between landlord and tenant, that any 87 person employed as Moran is, in his agent's office, should occupy a place on the Bench of a courthouse.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has taken any notice of the difference between the information supplied by Colonel Longbourne, when the hon. Gentleman asked the question a few days ago, and the statement now made?
MR. J. MORLEYNo doubt there is a discrepancy between the two statements, but I understand that it is not very considerable, because the person in question only stood upon the Bench for a few minutes.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYwas understood to ask if the right hon. Gentleman would lay before the House the sources of the information supplied to him on the last occasion and then.
§ MR. SHEEHYWas not this man Moran armed with a rifle?
§ [No answer was given.]
§ MR. CYRIL DODD (Essex, Maldon)Will an opportunity be accorded to Colonel Longbourne for an explanation?
§ MR. T. SEXTON (Kerry, N.)Did Colonel Longbourne, in his first reply, stating that Moran was not a bailiff, concede the fact that he was in the employment of Lord Clanricarde?
MR. J. MORLEYI am not sure. Of course, it is not my business to know what the man's employment is, but I do not think he was, in any sense, employed by Lord Clanricarde.
§ MR. J. G. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the propriety of giving him a change of air at once?
§ [No answer was given.]
§ MR. T. M. HEALY, in rising to put a further question, was met with cries of "Order!"
§ *MR. SPEAKERsaid, he had already called upon Mr. Kearley.