§ MR. CONDON (Tipperary, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an emergency man named Noonan was sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labour for a dangerous assault on Mr. James Shee, Mullinahone, such assault being described by the resident magistrate who presided at the trial as cruel and cowardly; and seeing that Noonan was discharged on the 30th June, after completing one month only of his sentence, can he state 446 whether the petition on which this man was discharged was sent to the justices before whom he was tried for their opinion.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe facts are correctly stated in the first paragraph. The magistrates who convicted in the case were the resident magistrate and a local justice. The memorial was sent to the magistrates in the usual way, but I am not aware whether the resident magistrate, who reported upon it, consulted his colleague in the case. I should add that he expressed no opinion in favour of a mitigation of the sentence, and insisted on the brutal character of the assault. The decision to remit the remainder of the sentence was arrived at by the Lords Justices upon a consideration of all the facts.
§ MR. CULLINANWhat was the reason for the release of this man?
§ MR. WYNDHAMHis previous good character.
§ MR. CONDONIs it not a fact that the only point in his character was that he had been an emergency man?
§ [No answer was returned.]