HC Deb 21 March 1881 vol 259 cc1494-5
MR. BIGGAR

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he could state why a properly constituted Land Meeting proposed to be held on 18th January last, at Rockcorry, county Monaghan, was proclaimed by an order emanating from four magistrates; and, if the information on which the meeting was prohibited was founded on the sworn evidence of either of the four magistrates above referred to; and, if not, was it on the sworn evidence of any other person?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

, in reply, said, that the meeting at Rockcorry was prohibited by proclamation signed by four magistrates resident in the district. The proclamation was issued on the informations sworn by eight other magistrates that a breach of the peace was likely to occur if the Land League demonstration and the counter demonstration were permitted to proceed. None of the magistrates who signed the proclamation swore informations on the subject.