§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state upon what principle the Lord Lieutenant proceeds in the annual appointments of assistant revising barristers; whether he is aware that of the thirty-one gentlemen appointed to those offices last year twenty-five were Unionists, and that the proportion has been about the same ever since the present Government came into office; and whether he will give an assurance that in the appointments to be made for this and subsequent years the selections will be made equally from both political parties.
*THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON, Londonderry, N.)At the request of my right 610 hon. friend I will reply to this question. The Lord Lieutenant proceeds upon the principle of selecting the men best qualified by knowledge and experience to discharge the duties of the post, and not on account of their political opinions. As far as my knowledge goes the figures given by the hon. Member in the question are entirely erroneous. The undertaking asked for cannot be given.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDIn what respect are the figures entirely erroneous?
§ MR. ATKINSONAs far as my memory serves me they are entirely erroneous in that they minimise the number of Nationalists appointed.
§ MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTONDo many Nationalists apply for the appointments?
§ [No answer was returned.]