§ MR. O'DOWD (Sligo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that magistrates holding His Majesty's commission of the peace for the county of Sligo, especially those appointed between the years 1892 and 1896, are prohibited by a rule of the Lord Chancellor from adjudicating outside certain prescribed districts; and whether, in view of the fact that quite recently two paid resident magistrates appeared at the ordinary petty sessions court at Tubbercurry, in that county, when the principal business was the hearing of trivial charges preferred against two respectable persons, he will abolish that rule, or else modify it, so that the area of adjudication for county magistrates be extended.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe practice is that magistrates, when about to be appointed, should state what petty sessions courts they purpose to attend. It was adopted long before the year 1892, and has been found to be necessary, in order to make proper provision for the manning of the petty sessions bench and the due administration of justice. The practice has no application to resident magistrates. It is not proposed to modify it.