15. Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary whether it has been the rule in successive Governments in Ireland for a considerable number of years that one third of the vacancies to the post of resident magistrates should be allocated to the officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary; whether a vacancy now exists for a resident magistrate; whether, according to precedent, an officer of the Royal Irish Constabulary should be appointed; and whether it is intended to allocate this vacancy in accordance with practice?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt has been the practice of successive Governments, and my practice also, to assign one in every three vacancies among the resident magistrates to the Royal Irish Constabulary. The vacancy referred to in the question does not go to the police.