§ MR. HEMPHILL (Tyrone, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether an action: now pending in the King's Bench Division, Dublin, at the suit of Thomas McCloskey against District Inspector Holmes, R.I.C., for arrest and false imprisonment is being defended at the public expense; and, if so, upon what grounds; having regard to the fact that the charge in respect of which the arrest and false imprisonment took place was dismissed by a full bench of magistrates at the Strabane Petty Sessions, on Monday 29th September, the Chairman in dismissing the charge added that the Bench were of opinion the case was one which should not have been brought into Court.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe reply to the first inquiry is in the negative. I may add that when such proceedings are taken, if the public officer is successful in vindicating his character, the question of defraying his expenses arises, but not before that.