§ MR. PATRICK WHITE (Meath, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is in accordance with departmental regulations for paid officials of the Crown to act on grand juries whose only business now is confined to the finding of bills in criminal cases; whether he is aware that Mr. George Knight, clerk of the Crown and peace for county Meath, acted as such for the county Monaghan at the spring and summer assizes of this year; and whether on the occasions referred to he had permission from the Lord Chancellor to be absent from the discharge of his public duties.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThere is no regulation, departmental or otherwise, prohibiting a paid official of the Crown from serving on a grand jury. The assize at Monaghan were held some days after the Meath assizes, and no public inconvenience was caused by Mr. Knight's absence from Meath. The answer to the third paragraph is in the negative; no such permission is requisite.