§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Dublin Metropolitan Police magistrates have this year declined to grant a Return of the number of cases of a certain class tried in their courts during the year 1905 because of the discovery of a serious discrepancy between their Return and the official Return of the Chief Commissioner of Police for the year 1904; and whether, in view of the fact that the public are entitled by law to this information in a less convenient way, he will give instructions to the magistrates to extend the same facilities as in past years.
MR. BRYCEThe Chief Magistrate of the Dublin Metropolitan Police district informs mo that he has declined to order the preparation of the Return in question, because he has no power to do so, and not because of any discrepancy between a previous Return and the Return of the Chief Commissioner of Police. The magistrates did not order the previous Returns to be made, though they acquiesced in the preparation of such returns by a member of the Police Court staff at the cost of the Licensed Vintners' Association. Neither the magistrates nor the police authorities are aware of any discrepancy between the Returns mentioned. I have no power to give instructions to the magistrates in the matter.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENWho has the power?