§ MR. KENDAL O'BRIEN (Tipperary, Mid.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the 59 Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the vacancy for clerk of petty sessions in Templemore, county Tipperary, has been filled; if so, seeing that the voting was even, will he say why there was not a new election; were any of the magistrates disqualified from voting; and, if so, what are their names and what were the grounds for disqualification.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The vacancy referred to was duly filled on 28th February last. Five votes of magistrates were given for each of the two candidates. Of the votes given for one candidate three were found to be invalid, and of the votes given for the other candidate one was invalid. The latter candidate was declared elected by the presiding magistrates and the election was subsequently approved by the Lord-Lieutenant. The votes disallowed in the case of the unsuccessful candidate were those of Messrs. Corcoran, Dwyer, and Hackett, and in the other case the vote disallowed was that of Admiral Fegan. In all four cases the vote was disallowed on the ground of insufficient attendances at petty sessions.