§ MR. TULLYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he was received a complaint than on the 28th ultimo the 1340 officer of the Blacksod Bay coastguard station lent the service rifles to a civilian for sporting purposes; that these rifles were fired so as to interfere with the sporting rights of Mr. Thomas Sweeney; and what action has been taken in this matter.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverThe infringement of Mr. Sweeney's sporting rights consisted in this, that the shot from the service rifle was fired at long range, and before he himself could fire. It was wrong, no doubt, for the officer of the coastguard to use the rifle for sporting purposes. But the temptation was great and the wrong was unintentional, and no further notice of the matter has been taken beyond warning him not to do it again.