§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAMTo ask Mr. Attorney - General for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. Dennis O'Connell, of Dianville, Mourne Abbey, who was sentenced by the magistrates sitting at a petty sessions court held in Mallow last January to pay a fine of £4 or an alternative of two months imprisonment for alleged salmon poaching on the River Clyda; whether he is aware that, on appeal to the Court of King's Bench, the judgment of the magistrates, two of whom were fishery conservators, was quashed, but no order made as to the costs, amounting to £22, incurred by Mr. O'Connell in prosecuting his appeal; amd whether, seeing that Mr. O'Connell was illegally convicted, there is any public fund from which his costs can be obtained.
(Answered by Mr. Cherry.) I am informed that the facts are generally as stated in the Question. The conviction was quashed without costs. There is no public fund from which the defendant's costs could be paid.