§ 54. Mr. T. M. HEALYasked the Prime Minister whether before or since the formation of the Coalition Ministry any arrangement was come to between the parties as to the nature or character of magisterial appointments in England; can he state upon what principle appointments will be made in Ireland during the political truce; is he aware that those who claim to have prevented the proposed change in the Irish Lord Chancellorship are actively trying to have magistrates created; and can he intervene to prevent the appointment of the president and secretary of the Hibernians, one of whom holds several spirit licences, to the magisterial bench in Mitchelstown, North-East Cork?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first part of the question is, I am informed by the Prime Minister, in the negative. As the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, in the difficult task of selecting persons for appointment to the commission of the peace, always does his best to have regard to the claims of all parties, there can be no occasion to alter this principle of selection. I do not know of any particular activity at this time to have magistrates created—the desire appears unceasing. So far as the commission for county Cork is concerned, it was settled by the Lord Chancellor in consultation with Lord Bandon, lieutenant of the county, so long ago as the 16th of May last, and the Lord Chancellor tells me he does not know whether the persons referred to in the last part of the question are amongst those who are included in the list. The rule as to the possession of a spirit licence being an objection to the licensee holding a seat on the bench is an excellent one and ought, 997 in my opinion, never to be overlooked, but sometimes it is impossible to apply the rule with absolute strictness.