§ MR. JOHN ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether Mr. Martin Finnerty, of Gurteen, County Galway, was arrested on Sunday last charged with a serious offence, and on yesterday returned for trial to Limerick Assizes which were then proceeding, and if Mr. Finnerty's trial is forced on by the Crown will he not be deprived of reasonable opportunity to prepare his defence.
§ MR. BIRRELLMartin Finnerty was, as I am informed, returned for trial in custody to the next Assizes for the County of Galway, but as the commission for the Winter Assizes is one of gaol delivery, I am advised that he must be brought up before the Judge presiding at Limerick Winter Assizes, and that any other course would be a violation of the law. It will be open to him to make any application for the postponement of his trial which he may be advised to make, and such application and the grounds of it will no doubt be fully considered by the Judge.
§ MR. JOHN ROCHEfurther asked if on the previous day at Limerick thirty-one jurors were not ordered to stand aside by the Crown, and was not that a violation of the pledge given by the Attorney-General for Ireland?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order. Notice must be given in the usual way. The Question ought, under the Standing Orders, to have been submitted to me before being asked in this way.