§ MR. CALLANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the evidence given, and the verdict returned, at the inquest held on the remains of a man who was burnt to death on the night of Saturday, the 19th of July, at Black Horse Lane, Phœnix Park, to the effect, that though the police on duty in the park noticed the flames, and were within a few yards of the place, yet they could not render any assistance, for the simple reason that the turnstiles leading from the park to Black Horse Lane were locked, and the police had to go round a long distance, which caused them to be too late to save either life or property; and, whether these turnstiles, two in number, have been recently locked at nightfall by order of the Board of Works, Ireland, though a public passage has existed there for the last fifty years, and though there are three other turnstiles in the park boundary which are never locked; and, if so, under what representations and by what authority the Board of Works, Ireland, have taken upon themselves, under the circumstances, to lock out the people of Black Horse Lane from assistance in such an emergency?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERIt appears that in the case referred to by the hon. Member, supposing some assistance could have been obtained it would have been useless, as the unfortunate man was in a state of intoxication, and must have been suffocated immediately. With regard to the locking of the turnstiles, that practice was adopted in 1876 in consequence of representations to the Board with regard to scenes of disorder in that portion of the Park. It is believed that no substantial inconvenience arose from the arrangement, as all the other turnstiles remained open. The 1944 legality of the action of the Board is beyond question, and the general opinion seems to be in favour of it. With regard to persons being prevented from rendering assistance in an emergency, I may state that the police had no difficulty in scaling the wall, and no inconvenience in that respect can be occasioned to the public.
§ MR. CALLANI beg to give Notice that on Monday I shall move for a Return of the convictions for disorderly conduct in the district on the complaint of the police during the three years before and after 1876.
§ MR. J. LOWTHERI have not spoken of convictions, but of scenes of indecency and disorder in that portion of the Park.
§ MR. CALLANThen I shall move for a Return of the Reports made by the police as to those alleged scenes of an indecent and disorderly character; because if such scenes are allowed to pass without conviction it reflects on the conduct of the Metropolitan Police.