§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary if his attention had been called to the remarks of Judge Curran, at the Mullingar Quarter Sessions on 10th April, that the blank calendar did not represent the state of the county; is he aware that since the last quarter sessions ten cases of malicious injuries, three cases of unlawful assembly, two of forcible possession, one 1020 of larceny, one of cutting the person, and one of assault endangering life were reported to the police, and that there have been fifteen cattle drives recently in Westmeath; and if he has any explanation to offer why proceedings have not been instituted in any of these cases?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have seen a newspaper report of the remarks made by the judge at the recent Mullingar Quarter Sessions. Proceedings have been instituted in all cases in which the offenders have been detected by the police, and thirty-nine persons have been prosecuted in connection with the particular offences referred to by the hon. Member. Ten of the cases of cattle driving are the same as the ten cases in which claims for compensation for malicious injury were made.