§ MR. SHEEHAN (Cork Co., Mid)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on the 30th June a tramp named Stephen Kirby, an ex-member of the Royal Irish Constabulary, was 123 arrested for having abused a servant in the employment of Dr. R. R. Leader, J. P., Millstreet, on being refused alms; and that he was immediately taken before Mr. H. W. Leader, J. P., a cousin of Dr. Leader's, and sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, and to a further term of four months imprisonment in default of finding bail; will he state how long Mr. H. W. Leader has been a justice of the peace, and how often has he adjudicated at petty sessions; and why this man Kirby was not charged before the ordinary Court instead of being dealt with summarily.
MR. ATKINSON—(for Mr. WYNDHAM)Kirby was arrested on the complaint of Dr. Leader and charged with begging. The case was dealt with out of petty sessions, under the provisions of Sections 8 and 22 of the 14 and 15 Vict. cap. 93. by Mr. W. H. Leader, who sentenced Kirby to a month's imprisonment with hard labour. Mr. Leader, is in no way related to Dr. Leader. A second charge was preferred against Kirby for having used opprobrious and abusive language towards Dr. Leader's daughter and servant. For this he was ordered to give sureties for his good behaviour, in default of which he was committed to prison for three months. Mr. Leader was appointed to the commission of the peace tour years ago. He is not a frequent attendant at the Millstreet petty sessions. It is competent to a justice to deal with cases of the kind mentioned out of petty sessions. It is not known whether Kirby served in the Constabulary.