§ MR. BARRIE (Londonderry, N.)On behalf of the hon. Member for Mid Armagh, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that pressure is being brought to bear upon ex officio magistrates who are Nationalists to discharge their judicial functions in the interests of the persons accused of offences in connection with the agitation in the grazing districts; and whether, in view of the decisions of a majority of 1243 the magistrates in recent prosecutions, he intends to rely upon the Courts of petty sessions to support the executive power in upholding the law in the disturbed districts.
§ MR. BIRRELLMy attention has been called to certain newspaper paragraphs which, if correct, indicate that the presence of individual magistrates on the Bench on particular occasions has been invited. The Lord Chancellor has intimated to certain ex officio magistrates who have attended petty sessions outside the districts for which they were appointed that if they should persist in such a course of action he will take steps to supersede them.Ex officio magistrates hold their office under the terms of an Act of Parliament, and I shall certainly rely upon Courts of petty sessions to uphold the law.
§ MR. MOOREasked what action would be taken with regard to cases in which magistrates had adjudicated when they were not entitled to sit?
§ MR. BIRRELLThat will depend on the circumstances of each case.
§ MR. BIRRELLI must leave that to the Lord Chancellor to decide.