§ MR. MCHUGH (Sligo, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to proceedings in the Land Judge's Court in Dublin, on 9th March, when attachments had been issued against Thomas J. Smith, J.P., Joseph Mulligan, and Terence Fitzpatrick; whether he is aware that the three defendants named were charged with a criminal offence, and pleaded not guilty, and demanded, through their counsel, a trial in accordance with constitutional usage; and whether, seeing that there is no appeal from the order made sentencing the defendants to unlimited terms of imprisonment, and that under that order they may be kept in prison for life unless they plead guilty of a charge which they deny having committed, he proposes to introduce legislation to deal with the matter.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I answered this Question on Tuesday last, when, in the hon. Member's absence, it was put on his behalf by the hon. Member for East Mayo.†