§ MR. O'DOWD (Sligo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been drawn to the prosecution at Kiltyclogher (county Leitrim) Petty Sessions on the 13th instant of eight defendants, at the suit of District Inspector Maxwell, on a charge of intimidation; is he aware that the court on the occasion was constituted of two resident magistrates, under 50 and 51 Vic, c. 20; and will he explain why the defendants were not charged under the ordinary common law dealing with such offences.
§ MR. WYNDHAMProceedings were instituted (by the police) against ten persons on charges of riot and unlawful assembly (arising out of disturbances which occurred recently in this district). The cases against four of the defendants were dismissed, and in the remaining six cases convictions were returned, resulting in terms of imprisonment varying from fourteen days to one month. On the application of the defendants the sentences were increased to five weeks to allow of an appeal. The proceedings were taken by direction of the Government under Section 2, Sub-section 3 (a) of the statute mentioned. The Government considered that this procedure was the most appropriate to the kind of offence with which the accused were charged—namely, riot and unlawful assembly. In view of the fact that an appeal is pending I must refrain from further characterising the offence.