§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, of Ireland (1) whether he received resolutions passed by public meetings held in Mayobridge and Newry, County Down, and ordered to be sent to him, protesting against the alleged intention of the Government to appoint Mr. Walker Craig County Court Judge of Down, in room of Judge Roche retired, on the grounds that Mr. Craig was the Government candidate at the last Parliamentary election in County Down, and is at present the adopted candidate of the Unionist Party for the next Parliamentary Election in the same county, seeing that, if appointed, he would have the revising of the Parliamentary Register, which is made up of a majority of Mr. Craig's political opponents who defeated him when a candidate; and (2) whether he is yet in a position to state if the appointment has been made; and, if so, give the name of the person appointed?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe reply to the first paragraph is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative.