LICENSING SESSIONS (BALLYBOT). (Hansard, 25 February 1897)

HC Deb 25 February 1897 vol 46 cc1134-53 1134

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN
I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that County Court Judge Kisby threatened to report Mr. William Adams, J.P., to the Lord Chancellor for voting at the Licensing Sessions at Ballybot in October last; whether Mr. Adams was within his right in voting at those Sessions; and whether Judge Kisby was justified in publicly reprimanding him?

§ MR. GERALD BALFOUR
Mr. Adams is a Justice of the Peace residing at Portadown, and, so far as Judge Kisby was aware, had not been in the habit of attending Ballybot Sessions. He appeared, however, at these Sessions on the 6th October last, and Judge Kisby animadverted on the growing habit of Justices going to Licensing Sessions outside the division in which their Petty Sessions districts are situated, for the purpose of voting in licensing case?. The learned Judge was clearly within his rights in commenting upon a practice which is evidently undesirable, and the matter is now under the consideration of the Lord Chancellor.

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