§ MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he 758 is aware that Charles M'Dermott, of Clooncalgy, Ballinlough, County Roscommon, has been refused a licence to carry a double-barrelled gun, although his application for licence was supported by several Justices of the Peace; and, if so. on what grounds the application was refused?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURAn application for the grant of an arms licence to M'Dermott was received in January 1895, signed by one Magistrate and other persons, including three Members of Parliament, of whom the hon. Member was one, and was refused by the Licensing Officer. The power to grant or withhold such a licence is vested by law in the Resident Magistrate, as Licensing Officer, and it would be contrary to practice to state the grounds on which the application in this, or any other case, was refused. I may add that in 1879, and again in 1892, the licence that this man had to keep firearms was revoked.
§ MR. DILLONIs there no remedy in case of a man being unfairly refused a licence?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI believe that there is no appeal from the decision of the Resident Magistrate.