§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. C. P. Crane, resident magistrate, 785 interfered with the solicitor for one of the parties in a case at Killarney Petty Sessions on last Tuesday, that three other magistrates protested against his action, and all the solicitors practising in the Court also protested in writing against his action; and seeing that Mr. Crane was formerly a police officer in Killarney, where he has now been sent to exercise judicial functions, and having regard to the action taken by him on this occasion, and the relations existing between the people of Killarney and Mr. Crane, he will prevent Mr. Crane adjudicating in future at Killarney.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) Mr. Crane is not the resident magistrate of the Killarney district. On the occasion referred to he was acting as locum tenens for the local resident magistrate, who was absent. The interference of Mr. Crane with the local solicitor merely consisted in his objecting to certain questions being put by the latter to witnesses, on the ground that they were irrelevant to the charge under investigation. The other magistrates disagreed with Mr. Crane on this point of practice, and the questions were accordingly allowed to be put. Mr. Crane, who is a most efficient magistrate, acted within his rights, and has done nothing to disqualify him from acting in future as a resident magistrate at Killarney or any other petty sessions.