§ Mr. MEAGHERasked the Chief Secretary whether the Castlecomer Board of Guardians, in order to try and repress the tramp evil, instructed the workhouse master to institute proceedings for vagrancy against all tramps whom he could prove were vagrants, and that in carrying out that order of the guardians 1893 the master had some tramps whom he could prove offenders under the Vagrancy Act brought before Mr. Butler, the only justice of the peace in the town of Castlecomer; and, seeing that this justice of the peace, instead of convicting the said tramps, allowed them off without any punishment, he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am aware that the Castlecomer Board of Guardians have issued instructions as stated. Proceeding's have been instituted against certain vagrants, and in one case the magistrate inflicted a sentence of seven days, and in the others cases discharged them with a caution. I understand that there are four magistrates in Castlecomer. The Government cannot interfere with the judicial decision of the magistrate in these cases.