The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-08-07
CIVIL LAW Is SUSPENDED BY
 NEW IRISH BILL

Washington, Aug. 7s- Any person upon whom sentence of imprison- ment have been passed in Ireland could be conveyed to and detained in any prison in the United Kingdom 1 under the terms of the Irish coercion bill, which passed the third reading yesterday in the British House of Commons and the text of which was made public here yesterday by the British Embassy. This section of the measure applies to persons already sentenced as well as those who may hereafter be sentenced.
 In general the new law would transfer the duties of Crown tribunals l in Ireland to courtS-m martial The l military courts also would take over 1 the duties of coroners and would have the power to decide cases without jury. The text of the bill follows: "G) Where it appears to His Majesty in Council that owing to the existence of a state of disorder in Ire- land the ordinary law is inadequate for the prevention and punishment of crime of the maintenance of order, His Majesty in Councip may issue regulations under the Defence of the Realm consolidation act, 1914 (here- matter referred to as the prin cipal ac), for securing the restoration and maintenance of order in Ireland and as to the powers and duties for that purpose of the Lord Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary and of members of His Mejesty's forces, and other per sons acting on His Majesty's behalf,
 and in particular regulations for the special purpose hereinafter mention
 ed.
 Bill Is Retroactive
 "(2) The provisions of the principal
 act with respect to the trial by courts
 martial or courts of summary juriS-
 diction and punishment of persons
 committing offences against the de-
 fence of the realm regula tions shall
 extend to the trial and punishment of
 persons who have committed crime in
 Ireland whether before or after the
 passing of this act. including persons
 committed for trial against whom
 indictments have been found, so,
 however, that: "(A) Any crime when so tried shall be punishable with the Punishment assigned to the crime by statute or common law.
 "(B) A court martial when trying a person charged with a crime punish able by death shall include as mem Der of the court one person (who need not be an ofhcer) nominated by the Lord Lieutenant being a person certified by the Lord Chancellor of Ireland or the Lord Chief Justice of England to be person of legal knowl- edge and experience. and regulations under the principal act may be made 1 accordingly.
 "(3) Regulations so made may also:
 ss(A1 Provide that a court of s,1no- mary Jurisdiction when trying a per l son charged with crime or with an offence against the regulations when hearing and determining any applica tion with respect to a recogniZance shall except in the Dublin metropoli- tan police district be constituted of two or more resident magistrates, and that a court of quarter sessions
 when hearing and determining an ap- peal against a conviction of a court of summary Jurisdiction for any such crime or offence shall be constituted of the recorder or county judge sit | ting alone.
 'B) Confer on a court martial ] the powers and Jurisdiction exercis- able by justices or any other civil 1 court for binding persons to keep
 the peace or be of good behavior for
 estreating the enforcing recognizance
 and for compelling persons to give ] evidence and to produce documents | before the court.
 1 "(C) Confer on persons authorized | to summon witnesses before a court | martial the power of issuing war
 rants for compelling persons to at | tend as witnesses, and any warrant
 so issued shall have the like effect
 and be executed by justice of court
 of summary Jurisdiction having juris- diction in the place in which it is
 executed or sought to be executed.
 "(D) Authorize the imposition by
 courts martial of fines in addition tc
 or in substitution for any other pun
 ishments for offences against the
 regulations, well as for crimes, ano
 providing for the manner in which
 such fines are to be enforced.
 | "(E) Authorize the conveyance tc
 and detention insany of his Majesty:
 prisons in any part of the United
 Kingdom of any persons upon whom 1 a sentence of Imprisonment has beer
 passed in Ireland, whether before o
 after the passing of this act.
 "FO Provide for any of the duties of a coroner or any coroner's jury be. ; ing performed by a court of inquiry constituted under the army act in stead of by the coroner and jury. "(G) Provide that wl1eer the cour
 house or other building in which any court naS been usually held Is de
 stroyed or rendered unfit for the p11r
 pose, the court may be held in sucf } other court house or building ma! be designated by the Lord Lieutenant } "H) Authorize the trial withou l jury of any action, counter claim
 civil bill, issue, cause or matter in tn
 high court a county court in Ire
 land which, apart from this provision , would be triable with a jury. "Q) Provide for the retention O sums payable to any local authorit. , from the local taxation 0reLand) ac $ count CT from any Pariamentar.
 grant or from any fund administered
 by any Government department O
 public body where the local authorit i has in any respect refused or faile' l to perform it's duties, or for the pur f pose of discharging amounts awarde against the local authority in respee
 of compensation for criminal injurie | ,fH hA f1or