§ MR. DEVLIN (Belfast, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether his attention has been drawn to a statement made in the Belfast Summons Court, on 13th February, 1908, in a case in which a countryman was summoned for not driving his cart on the proper side of the road, by Mr. F. C. Johnston, J.P., the presiding magistrate, to the effect that the number of frivolous cases brought up in the last few weeks was ridiculous, and that they knew the police had instructions from headquarters that if they did not do certain things there would be transfers; whether any instructions have been issued 793 to the Belfast police of the nature referred to by Mr. Johnston, or, if not, what is the nature of the instructions, if any, issued to the police in Belfast with regard to securing a certain number of arrests and convictions in any given period of time; whether any policemen have been transferred for non compliance with such instructions; whether the system referred to obtains elsewhere, and, if so, where; whether frivolous cases like those referred to are included in the criminal records of the country; and whether seeing that such a system is tantamount to putting a premium on the manufacture of petty offences by the police, he will order the immediate withdrawal of any such instructions to the police as those referred to by the magistrate.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The police authorities inform me that it is the case that Mr. Johnston, the presiding magistrate, made a statement to the effect mentioned in the Question, but that it is not the case that the Belfast police have brought frivolous prosecutions or that any instructions such as the magistrate mentioned have been issued in Belfast or elsewhere. Prosecutions for breaches of the Belfast City bye-laws have of late been more numerous than formerly. It had been the practice of the police to caution offenders in many cases, particularly those concerning breaches of the traffic regulations. Cautions have been found to be useless, and the Corporation on several occasions requested the Commissioner of Police to enforce the bye-laws more strictly. This is the only foundation for the suggestions contained in the Question. No transfer or threats of transfer have been made, nor any reference to securing a certain number of arrests and convictions in a given period of time. Prosecutions under the bye-laws are included under the head of minor offences in the usual Returns, and the results of such prosecutions are shown.