§ MR. JAMES CAMPBELL (Dublin University)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland at what dates did the facts contained in the affidavit of County Inspector O'Connell, upon which the Solicitor-General for Ireland applied for and obtained on Friday last from the Judge of Assize in Roscommon an order for the postponement, to the next assizes of the cases of agrarian crime returned for trial to that assize, first come to the knowledge of the police and the Executive; and can he state why no application for a change of venue was made in sufficient time to enable these cases to be investigated in some other venue at the present assizes, seeing that the result of the failure to apply at an earlier date is that none of these cases can now be investigated before December next, while in the meantime, as stated by the Judge of Assize, lawlessness is rampant in the county.
§ THE ATTORNEY - GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. CHERRY, Liverpool, Exchange)The general facts were for some time in the possession of the police and the Executive. It is not possible to indicate the precise dates. It was after a full investigation of the facts by my hon. friend the Solicitor-General, on the spot, that the conclusion was formed to apply for an adjournment of the trial with a view to moving for a change of venue. The application was made at the first possible opportunity. Under the law no such application can be made until after the indictment has been found by the Grand Jury. The right hon. Gentleman is in error in supposing that these cases necessarily cannot be investigated before December, and steps are being taken to secure that the trial should be had at the earliest possible date.
§ MR. JAMES CAMPBELLDo I understand that it is proposed now to have the cases transferred to another venue so as to enable them to be disposed of at assizes?
§ MR. CHERRYIt is proposed to apply at the earliest possible date for a writ of certiorari and then for a change of the venue. I cannot say where such venue will be established.