§ MR. MCKILLOP (Armagh, S.)To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware that, in connection with a recent licensing case heard at Newtonards sessions, county Down, on 24th October last, there were upwards of forty magistrates adjudicating who were acting in contravention of the provisions of Section 60 of The Licensing (Ireland) Act (1872); whether these magistrates, disregarding a letter of the present Under-Secretary for Ireland, a copy of which was sent to them prior to the hearing pointing out the penalty entailed by said section, persisted notwithstanding in voting in the licensing application in 1196 question; whether he will take steps to enforce the penalty of £100 against each of the said magistrates as provided by the said section; and what steps he intends taking so as to ensure in future that this section is not wilfully violated, and a decision on the part of an impartial licensing tribunal thereby rendered impossible.
(Answered by Mr. Cherry.) I have no information on the subject, and cannot say whether any of the magistrates who adjudicated on the occasion referred to by the hon. Member were disqualified from so adjudicating under Section 60 of the Licensing Act of 1872. The Under-Secretary informs me that he did not communicate prior to the hearing of the case with any of the magistrates who appear to have adjudicated. If information is placed before me clearly establishing that any magistrate has violated the section of the Act referred to I shall carefully consider what action should be taken. It would be impossible to make any general statement on the subject, as the circumstances of each case and the evidence available must be considered before any action could be taken.