§ MR. WILLIAM MOORE (Antrim, N.); I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary have instructions to prosecute at petty sessions in Ireland for offences under 27 George 3, c. 35, s. 29 committed to their knowledge; whether in such prosecutions any provision is made for defraying the necessary expenses of the officer in and about the service of the summons and other matters reasonably necessary as incident to such prosecution; and whether it has recently happened that the officer has been obliged to bear such expenses out of his own pocket; and if so, whether provision will be henceforth made, as in the case of the Wild Birds' Protection Act Police Order, May 1899, for securing payment of the necessary expenses in proper cases of prosecutions under this Act to the officer out of public funds.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURBy the 6 William IV. cap. 13, Section 15, the constabulary are expressly prohibited from enforcing any Act relating to the preservation of game. There is no Section 29 in the Statute referred to in the first paragraph; however, the Act itself is one for the preservation of game, and members of the constabulary have, therefore, no instructions to prosecute at petty sessions for offences under it. I am not aware of any case such as that referred to in the last paragraph, in which it is alleged that 1121 an officer has been obliged to bear the expenses of prosecution out of his own pocket.