§ MR. O'DOWD (Sligo, S.)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether, in view of the fact that magistrates appointed to the Commission of the Peace in Ireland since 1892 are confined, by the terms of their commissions, to certain Petty Sessions Courts, outside of which they cannot adjudicate, he will say whether such magistrates, by direct application to the Lord Chancellor, can have their areas of adjudication extended.
§ THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.The statement contained in the Question is not quite accurate. The Lord Chancellor, in order to make arrangements for the proper manning of the Petty Sessions Bench, and the due discharge of business, requires a justice, when appointed, to confine his attendance to certain districts then arranged between them. Of course the Lord Chancellor will be ready to consider any application of a justice to have the arrangement altered.
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in several parts of Ireland Petty Session Courts have to be adjourned for want of sufficient magistrates, they only being allowed to sit in a limited area?
§ MR. ATKINSONI know adjournments do take place, but not for that reason.
§ MR. FLAVINI say so from personal experience.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that resident magistrates have a roving commission all over Ireland?
§ [No answer was returned.]