§ MR. O'DONNELLasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he has received information that women and children have been fired upon, and one young woman killed, at Ballyhannis, county Mayo, by constabulary engaged in the service of notices of ejectment; and, whether the district of Ballyhannis was the scene of most severe distress and famine last year?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER,in reply, said, he would answer the Question of the hon. Member. It appeared that a process-server was most violently attacked, and a small body of police who were with him were also violently attacked and injured. The result was that the process-server refused to go on, and the police retreated with him. A mob of 200 or 300 men, and also women and children, followed the police and again attacked them. A. constable had to fire, and he (Mr. W. E. Forster) was very sorry to say that a girl was shot in the leg; but he was able to state from two police reports he had received that she was not dangerously wounded. With regard to the last Question, he had not had time to learn the exact facts with 887 regard to Ballyhannis; but he had no doubt there was distress there last winter.
§ In reply to Mr. O'DONNELL,
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, that 10 policemen went with the process-server; and it was not usual, under those circumstances, for a magistrate to accompany the process-server.