MR. SWIFT MACNILL (Donegal, S.)I bog to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that Sir David Harrel, the Under Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who advises the Government in the institution of proceedings under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, selects the resident magistrates for the constitution from time to time of the Courts under this Act, will he state how many times and in what cases has Mr. Harrel, resident magistrate, been instructed by Sir David Harrel to attend, as one of its members, a Crimes Court.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe Under Secretary, Sir David Harrel, does not advise the Government in the institution of proceedings under the Crimes Act. Such proceedings are instituted upon the advice of the law officers of the Crown. The orders for the constitution of Courts are given by the Under Secretary in the discharge of the duty of his office. Resident magistrates are detailed for duty at these Courts in accordance with the ordinary necessities of the public service. Particulars of the several Courts attended by Mr. Harrel were given in my reply to the hon. Member's Question of the 7th July.† He has not since acted in any fresh case. On each occasion he adjudicated within his proper jurisdiction, in a district to which he had been appointed long before the institution of proceedings under the Crimes Act.