HC Deb 26 May 1882 vol 269 cc1701-2
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the police authorities at Charleville, county Cork, have forbidden the erection of huts sent there for the use of evicted tenants, and have threatened to arrest anyone who may proceed to erect the huts; if the police have acted in this manner, under what circumstances they have done so; and, whether their action has the approval of the Executive?

MR. TREVELYAN

The huts in question were sent to Charleville Railway Station for conveyance thence to certain places in county Limerick. Informations were sworn that a procession would take place for the purpose of conveying away these huts to their destinations, and that such a procession would lead to a breach of the peace and would intimidate the people of the country; and, further, that people had been intimidated into giving carts for the conveyance of the huts. Upon this information the Resident Magistrate issued orders to the constabulary at Charleville to make all necessary arrangements for preventing any such procession, which was accordingly done. I think that, under the circumstances, the magistrate was justified in stopping the demonstration; but I am not satisfied that there was any justification for preventing the removal of the huts in a quiet and peaceable manner, and I shall have particular inquiries made into this point when I am in Ireland.