§ Mr. M'GHEEasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the election of a Petty Sessions clerk by the Omagh magistrates, when the Lord Lieutenant upset an election and ordered a new election on the ground that certain justices were not qualified to vote; will he say under which Statute the Lord Lieutenant acted in upsetting the election and ordering a new one; and whether, in view of decisions given in the King's Bench Division, he will explain why the Law Officers did not advise against the Lord Lieutenant's action in this case?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. A fresh election was ordered by the Lord Lieutenant on the advice of the Irish Law Officers, who were of opinion that five of the votes given for one candidate were invalid and that the question of their validity was not affected by the decision referred to by the hon. Member.