Lords Sitting of 16 April 1886

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—First Reading—Companies Acts Amendment * (82); Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (Public Health Act) * (83).
Third Reading—Trees (Ireland)* (79); Cape Race Lighthouse* (60); Poor Relief (Ireland)* (74).
Royal Assent—Army Annual [49 Vict. c. 8]; Prison Officers' Superannuation [49 Vict c. 9]; Contagious Diseases Acts Repeal (No. 2) [49 Vict. c. 10]; Bankruptcy (Office Accommodation) Act (1885) Amendment [49 Vict. c. 12]; Compensation for Damages [49 Vict. c. 11].

PRIVATE AND PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION BILLS.
Ordered, That Standing Orders Nos. 92. and 93. be suspended; and that the time for depositing petitions praying to be heard against Private and Provisional Order Confirmation Bills, which would otherwise expire during the adjournment of the House at Easter be extended to the first day on which the House shall sit after the recess.
PRISONS (IRELAND)—DISCONTINUANCE OF NAAS GAOL.

  QUESTION. OBSERVATION.
  THE EARL OF MILLTOWNasked Her Majesty's Government, Why the

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  gaol at Naas has been discontinued as a county prison; and, whether, before this step was taken, the magistrates or official body of the county were in any way consulted? The noble Earl said the closing of the gaol in question necessitated the sending of prisoners to Dublin Gaol, a distance of 26 miles, however short their term of imprisonment was to be, and that involved considerable expense.
  THE EARL OF LONGFORDsaid, that objection was taken to the new classification of prisons in Ireland, which, in many cases, was not in accordance with the views of Local Authorities. Between Dublin and Sligo there was no first-class prison. From his own Petty Sessions district, eight-day sentences and upwards were sent to Dublin, 70 miles, instead of to Mullingar, 10 miles, where a prison had been wrongly abolished. Although it might be shown that the cost of removing prisons was less than the maintenance of gaol establishments, the arrangement was objectionable.
  THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (The Earl of KIMBERLEY)said, the subject of the unnecessary number of prisons in Ireland was constantly under the consideration of the Government some years ago; and he might remind his noble Friends that prisons in England had been diminished in number. He would offer no opinion upon the subject as regarded Ireland, but would simply answer the Question on the Paper. When he was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, some years ago, he found there was a superfluity of prisons in Ireland. The gaol at Naas had been discontinued as a county prison in accordance with the recommendations of the Royal Commissioners on Prisons in Ireland that the Naas Prison should be handed over to the Military Authorities for court martial prisoners, and to cease to be a local prison. It could not, therefore, be now used for local purposes. The County Authorities were not consulted as to whether the recommendations of the Royal Commissioners should be acted on; but the Constabulary Authorities were consulted as to the most desirable mode of disposing of the local prisoners.
  THE EARL OF MILLTOWNsaid, he thought that the County Authorities should have been consulted in the matter.

GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND.
  OBSERVATIONS.
  LORD DENMAN: My Lords, I think it would be a wise thing if we passed a Resolution to the effect that no Peer who has not personally visited Ireland shall be allowed to vote on Irish questions. I believe if noble Lords and hon. Members of the other House were to take the trouble to go over there, and see the state of the country—and there is plenty of time for the purpose before the end of the Easter Vacation—they would convince themselves that the Parliament of England is doing its duty in not wishing to see the Bank of Ireland turned again into a House of Parliament, excluding all the old Peers of that country.

  LOCAL GOVERNMENT (IRELAND) PROVISIONAL ORDERS (PUBLIC HEALTH ACT) BILL [H.L.]
  A Bill to confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board for Ireland relating to Dromore West and Kilrush Unions—Was presented by The Earl of Kimberley; read 1*; and referred to the Examiners. (No. 83.)
  House adjourned at Five o'clock, to Thursday the 6th of May next, a quarter past Ten o'clock.