§ Mr. GRAHAMasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state on whose authority the hour for holding the Petty Sessions at Ferbane, King's County, has been altered from twelve o'clock noon to eleven a.m.; and whether he is aware that the holding of this Petty Sessions at an earlier hour than twelve o'clock noon prevents solicitors from Tullamore taking advantage of the 1290W train service to Ferbane, and that, if this change of hour is presisted on, it will be necessary for these gentlemen to travel eighteen miles by car or motor to attend to their cases there, thereby entailing considerable extra expense?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe power to make a change of the nature indicated in the question is vested solely in the magistrates under Section 1 (3) of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851. I understand that one result of the change is that stated in the second part of the question, but I am advised that the Lord Lieutenant cannot interfere.