§ 21. Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his atten- 1514 tion has been called to the facts that in the Dungiven district of county Derry, where the population is in the proportion of five Catholics to one non-Catholic and the elected representatives on local bodies in about the same proportion, the magistrates are in the proportion of eight non-Catholics to one Catholic; that the attention of His Majesty's lieutenant of the county has been expressly called to this, without result; that the attention of the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Chancellor has been called to it, but without result; and that loss and inconvenience have recently been occasioned to people and solicitors by the failure of magistrates to attend and adjudicate at the Dungiven Petty Sessions; and, if he does not consider the present state of things satisfactory on any of these grounds, whether he will take immediate steps to have it remedied?
§ Mr. DUKEI am informed that the number of magistrates entitled to attend at Dungiven Petty Sessions is sixteen, of whom five are Catholics and eleven are non-Catholics. From the last annual return, ending 31st August, 1916, it appears that there were held thirteen Petty Sessions Courts in the year, at none of which less than two magistrates attended. There does not appear to be any reason to suppose that the number of magistrates is insufficient.
§ Mr. GINNELLDoes the right hon. Gentleman admit or deny the statement in the question about the disparity between the two creeds on the benches?