1 Crown and hanaper Office, Four Courts, Dublin, 18th February 1916 Sir, I have placed your letter of the 16th inst. before The Lord
Chancellor who directs me to state that he notes that your denial
is merely that you did not take a prominent position in the pro-
cession which interdered with the Recruiting Meeting at Killarney
on the 6th inst. The Lord Chancellor cannot overlook your conduct as magis-
trate in being present with these persons on the occasion, &
accordingly desires me to apprise you that he has deemed it his
duty to supersede you from further acting as a magistrate, &
I am to enclose you herewith the usual Writ in that behalf. The Lord Chancellor further directs me to say that the que-
stion of the prosecution mentioned in your letter is not one at all
in which he can enter, as he is only concerned with your action
as a Justice of the Peace. I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
GERALD HORAN James O'Shea, Esq. Chairman, Killarney Rural District Council 2 Summary of Mr. O'Shea's reply dated 16th February 1916 which has
been mislaid. Denied that he had occupied a prominent position in the procession
and stated that if he had interfered in any way with the Recruiting
Meeting he could be prosecuted for it. 3 Parliamentary Question.
Dated, 3rd March, 1916. From Power to Under Secretary. Star Notice for Wednesday 8th March, No.8.
Mr Ginnell to ask Mr Attorney General for Ireland, if he will
specify the alleged illegality or breach of duty as a Magistrate
for which the Lord Chancellor of Ireland has deprived of his
statutory commission of the peace Mr James O'Shea, Member of the
Kerry County Council, Chairman of the Killarney Rural District
Council & in virtue of this position a Magistrate for the County
of Kerry. What evidence was given. By whom? What opportunity
was given to Mr O'Shea for cross-examining the informer & under
what statute did the Lord Chancellor purports to override the pro-
vision on this subject in the Local Government (Ireland) Act
1898. 4 Poor Law Relief Act, 1914. 103. Mr COOTE asked the Chief Secre-
tary for Ireland, in view of the increased
taxation which must inevitably arise under
the coming War Budget, if he will assist
public bodies in Ireland to get rid of their
unnecessary expenditure in some of the
forms of poor relief by amending the Poor
Relief Act, 1914, passed as a war measure,
wither by omitting in Section 1, line 8, the
words, In connection with the present
War, or by adding after after the word
war the words, In order to secure greater
economy in Poor Law administration? Mr. BIRRELL: The Bill for the Poor
Relief (Ireland) Act, 1914, when introduced
contained a provision which would have
had the effect that the hon. Member de-
sires, but owing to the opposition to legis-
lation not confined to war purposes I was
obliged to accept an Amendment omitting
this proivision. If the hon. Member puts
down an Amendment for the reinstate-
ment of this provision n Committee on the
Local Government (Emergency Provisions)
Bill now before the House, I should be
disposed to accept it with the assent of the
Committee.