§ MR. DELANYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that at the Abbeyleix Petty Sessions, held on 24th June, a man, named John Devoy, was prosecuted by the Excise authorities for carrying a gun along the public road to a 1400 detached farm of his, not having at the time a 10s. licence, and the magistrates dismissed the case on the grounds that defendant was exempt under Sub-section (4) of Section 7 of The Gun Licensing Act, 1870, under which the prosecution was brought; and whether, seeing that the supervisor who prosecuted appealed in Court from, the magistrates' decision, and withdrew the appeal in a week afterwards, he will give directions that in future prosecutions shall not be taken against occupiers of land whilst carrying guns to and from their land for the purpose of protecting their crops.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Mr. VICTOR CAVENDISH,) Derbyshire, W.I am informed that the proceedings, to which the hon. Member refers, were instituted as the evidence showed a prima facie case of breach of the Gun Licence Act. The desire of the Board of Inland Revenue is to avoid unnecessary proceedings against occupiers of lands who may be carrying guns for the purpose stated in the Question.