§ MR. C. H. HEMPHILL (Tyrone, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he received some time ago a memorial from the grand and petty jurors and principal inhabitants of the barony of Lower Strabane, in the county of Tyrone, pointing out that Strabane was the most populous town in the county, and complaining of the great inconvenience and pecuniary loss occasioned to the memorialists by the Quarterly Crown Sessions for the division of Strabane being held at Omagh, which is a considerable distance off; whether he is aware that up to the year 1876 Crown Sessions were always held at Strabane for that division, and the principal reason for their discontinuance was the fact that the county goal was then at Omagh; whether that reason has now ceased to exist, all the county prisoners being now committed to Londonderry Gaol, to which Strabane is much nearer than Omagh; and whether any steps have been taken to bring the said memorial under the consideration of the Lord Lieutenant?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe memorial in question has been received. It is a fact that Crown Sessions were held in Strabane till the year 1886, but I am not aware of the reasons which influenced the Privy Council in transferring them to Omagh. Prisoners are now committed to Londonderry Prison from the district of Strabane, which is nearer to Londonderry than is Omagh. The memorial has been referred by the Lord Lieutenant in Council to a Committee, who will meet at an early date for its consideration.