§ MR. SLOANTo ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland if his attention has been called to the evidence given at the Clare Petty Sessions held recently, where persons were charged with poaching; that in some instances men were caught with guns who had not even a house licence for firearms; and, if so, will he say what action he proposes to take; and will he further state the number of detections made by the Inland Revenue officers in King's county for breaches of the Gun Licence Acts daring the past five years; the number of detections made by the police under the Peace Preservation Act in the same county; and the number of arms seized for the past five years.
(Answered by Mr. Atkinson.) Two persons, L. Daly and J. Kelly, were proceeded against on the occasion mentioned. The brother of the former, who was duly licensed, left the country some time ago, and the defendant, in 605 ignorance of the law, failed to get a transfer of the licence. He has now remedied the omission. Kelly was proceeded against in error for his brother, and I understand fresh proceedings are about to be instituted against the latter. When the case has been heard the question of a prosecution under the Peace Preservation Act will be considered. Inquiries are also being made in another case in which it is reported that a man carried a gun without a licence of any kind. There have been ten detections by the police under the Peace Preservation Act, and eleven weapons seized in King's county during the past five years. I have no information respecting detections by officers of the Inland Revenue.