§ Mr. HALPINasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the statement made by County Court Judge Bodkin, K.C., at the Quarter Sessions sitting at Kilrush last week, to the effect that there were no criminal cases to be investigated, and that this was a most satisfactory state of affairs, and was more or less of an answer to the many aspersions which had lately been made against the condition of the county; and whether, in view of this judicial expression of opinion as to the satisfactory state of the county, he will now order the withdrawal of the extra police from this district?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMy attention has been called to the learned Judge's remarks to the effect stated in the question. The fact that there were no criminal cases for hearing at Quarter Sessions in one division of the county cannot be taken as a representation of the state of the county as a whole. There has recently been some improvement, but there are not yet sufficient grounds for reducing the police.