§ MR. POWER (Waterford, E.)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland with reference to the discharge from prison of two gamekeepers in the employment of Lord Ashtown, who were recently sentenced at the Ballymacarberry petty sessions, from what sources and by what means did the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Justices fully acquaint themselves with the facts of the case within less than twenty-four hours from the time of the conviction of these two men, and without obtaining the views of the chairman who presided at the petty sessions on the occasion; and had Lord Ashtown an opportunity of laying his views on the case directly or indirectly before those responsible for the discharge of these men, either subsequent to or shortly before their conviction.
§ THE ATTORNEY - GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. CHERRY,) Liverpool. ExchangeI am afraid I cannot add anything to the replies which my right hon. friend the Chief Secretary gave to the hon. Member's previous Questions on this subject. It would be entirely contrary to precedent to discuss, by way of Question and Answer in this House, the circumstances attending the exercise of the Lord Lieutenant's prerogative in such cases.
§ MR. POWERThe right hon. Gentleman has not said how the views of the minority of the bench were ascertained.
§ MR. CHERRYI am afraid I cannot answer that without going into the whole matter, and I understand the rule is that matters of this sort should not be discussed.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIt was done in connection with the release of the Gweedon prisoners.