§ CAPTAIN CRAIG (Down, E)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieu- 1332 tenant of Ireland if he can state the head of population within the Dublin Metropolitan and Belfast magistrates jurisdiction respectively, the number of magistrates in the two areas, and their salaries.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BIRRELL,) Bristol, N.The estimated population of the Dublin Metropolitan Police district in the middle of 1906 was 405,000, and that of Belfast City was 366,220. There are four divisional magistrates in Dublin, of whom the chief magistrate receives a salary of £1,200 per annum, and the three others £1,000 each. There are two resident magistrates in Belfast, of whom one receives a salary of £675 with a commuted forage allowance of £100, and the other a salary of £550, with a similar allowance.
§ CAPTAIN CRAIGCan the right hon. Gentleman explain the disparity between the Dublin and Belfast payments, the populations being practically the same?
§ MR. BIRRELLNo, Sir. England and Ireland are full of disparities. I can give no explanation.