§ MR. LEAMY (Kildare, N.)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether he is aware that at Naas Petty Sessions on the 7th of July, Mr. James Behan, of Blackball, County Kildare, was prosecuted by the Supervisor of Inland Revenues for carrying a gun on his lands, for the purpose of shooting rabbits, without a licence and fined £'2 10s., although he had a 10s. gun licence from the Excise, and was an occupier of the land, at Blackball within the meaning of the Ground Game Act, 1880; will he explain why the presiding magistrate stated that the 10s. licence only allowed a man to carry a gun for the purpose of killing vermin; and will he take steps for the fine to be returned to this man.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.It is not the fact that Mr. Behan had an Excise gun licence in force on the 1st May, the occasion to which the prosecution related. At the hearing Mr. Behan admitted the offence, but the fine of pound;2 10s. imposed by the magistrates was subsequently, on their recommendation, reduced by the Board of Inland Revenue to £1. The Board see no reason for any further mitigation.
§ MR. LEAMYThe right hon. Gentleman has not said why the presiding Magistrate stated that the 10s. licences only allowed a man to carry a gun to kill vermin, and not to shoot rabbits.
§ MR. ATKINSONThat was merely an abstract opinion. I do not concur with it, but I do not think it a matter of importance.