§ MR. W. E. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Peter Fitzpatrick, J.P., County Monaghan, was arrested by the police on the 19th March, in the town of Newbliss, for being drunk in charge of a horse and trap, and that when his case was heard on 1st May, at the Newbliss Petty Sessions, four Magistrates from other districts, who had never attended Newbliss Petty Sessions before, were present; whether, notwithstanding that four witnesses swore that Mr. Fitzpatrick had been drunk and disorderly, the charge was dismissed by the majority of the Bench; and whether the attention of the Lord Chancellor has been drawn to the case?
MR. J. MORLEYThe facts are generally as stated in the question. I will refer the matter to the Lord Chancellor, if, indeed, this has not already been done.
§ In answer to a further question,
MR. J. MORLEYsaid: We have no information as to how the majority of the Bench was made up on this occasion. I was told that two of the Magistrates were expressly appointed in order to attend this particular Petty Sessions, but I do not know whether it was on this particular occasion.
§ MR. MACARTNEYasked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that out of seven Magistrates four came from a long distance, and had never attended the Sessions before?