§ MR. MEEHANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in how many counties in Ireland is the Peace Preservation or Arms Act in force, and will he give the names of the counties exempted; is he aware that under this Act the right to grant gun licences is reserved to resident magistrates; whether, seeing that licences have been refused to men of the highest character, he will give the number refused and the grounds of refusal; and, as this Act has to be renewed each year under the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, will he say if he intends to renew the Act; and, if so, will he arrange that the power of granting gun licences to farmers and others who require a gun for the protection of their crops from vermin shall be given to the magistrates sitting in petty sessions.
MR. BRYCEThe Peace Preservation Act is in force in all the counties of Ireland with the exception of the counties of Londonderry, Louth, and Wicklow. It applies, however, to portions only of the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Donegal, Down, Monaghan, and Tyrone. The proclamations made under the Act empower resident magistrates to issue licences within their respective districts, and empower the Inspector-General and Deputy-Inspector-General of Constabulary to issue licences throughout Ireland generally. A return of the number of licences issued and refused is published each month in the Dublin Gazette, but the Irish Government have no information as to the grounds of refusal in any case. The working of this Act is under my consideration, but I cannot, as at present advised, say that no provisions respecting the possession of arms are needed, nor do I feel sure that any licensing power ought to be vested in the magistrates sitting in petty sessions.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDIs not this part of the repressive legislation which forms the coercion code in Ireland? Do the Government intend to continue its existence?