§ Mr. COTTONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that between ten and eleven p.m. on Easter Monday a man accompanied by his wife entered the licensed premises of Mr. Thomas Cloonan, 68, Lower George's Street, Kingstown, and were both refused drink upon the ground that the man was already under the influence of drink; that they were subsequently brought back to the licensed premises by a sergeant of police, who was assured that no drink had been supplied, and that notwithstanding this assurance Mr. Cloonan was summoned for permitting drunkenness; and whether, having regard to the statement of the magistrate that the case was one which ought not to have been brought, he will cause an instruction to be issued to the police authorities instructing them to make more careful inquiries in licensing cases in future before allowing summonses to issue?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTH (for Mr. Birrell)I am informed that the police found a man named Lewis, who was already under the influence of drink, and his wife on the licensed premises referred to. There was reason to believe that they had been supplied with drink. Mr. Cloonan was summoned for permitting drunkenness on his premises, and the case against him was dismissed and Lewis fined 5s. The magistrate when hearing the case did not make the statement attributed to him in the question. The police authorities were satisfied that it was a proper case to bring into court.