§ MR. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Attorney General for Ireland, is he aware that at a recent petty sessions at Newbliss a man named Kelly was summoned, at the instance of the Great Northern Railway Company, Ireland, and fined 1s. and the costs of Court, for using threatening or abusive language to a person outside the railway station; was it competent in the railway company to be complainants in this case, 1345 where the alleged offence was not committed on their platform, and did not involve any of their porters or other officials; is he aware that the Chairman of the Petty Sessions Court is a shareholder of the Company; and, was it competent for a magistrate having interests in the railway to adjudicate in this case; and, if not, will he have this conviction quashed?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.Kelly was summoned by the Great Northern Railway Company on two charges of trespass and using abusive language. Both charges were proved, and a fine of 1s. and costs was inflicted in each case. It was also proved that Kelly had been repeatedly cautioned against trespassing on the railway premises, and that both of the offences with which he was charged were committed on the company's premises. I have no information as to whether the Chairman of the Petty Sessions Court is a shareholder of the company.