HC Deb 11 February 1884 vol 284 cc425-7
MR. O'BRIEN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact that, on the occasion of the proclaimed meeting at Killavullen on January 27th, the police charged a peaceable crowd before the proclamation was read aloud by the resident magistrates and a reasonable time given for the dispersal of those present, as prescribed by section ten of the Crimes Act; by whom was the charge ordered; whether it is true that, as reported in The Cork Herald of January 26th— The police rushed on the crowd, which included women and children, and struck them with the butts of their guns, the result being that two women, named Catherine Keeffe and Margaret Mahony, were badly injured, the latter sustaining several bruises on the side, while the former had a rib broken; whether Mr. John O'Connor, on complaining that a woman had been violently thrown down by the police, was ordered into custody and assaulted by a policeman; whether it is true that bodies of people arriving at the village subsequently, unaware of the proclamation of the meeting (which was only notified publicly on that morning), were charged and assaulted by the police and pursued for several miles through the country; and, whether he is aware that the resident magistrate in charge (Mr. Eaton) had a few weeks previously declared from the bench that he knew this district for the last sixteen years, and did not know a more peaceful or orderly district in the country?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, I am glad the hon. Gentleman has put this Question, as it affords me an opportunity of stating that the reports which have been circuculated with regard to this matter contain very great misrepresentations of the facts. Mr. O'Connor, of Cork, the principal promoter of the meeting, was served with a copy of the proclamation before he left Cork, yet he persisted in going to the proposed place of meeting. The proclamation had been posted early in the morning at every place of worship in the vicinity and the people obeyed it. There was no crowd and no police charge. Mr. O'Connor persisted in parleying with the Resident Magistrate, and about 40 or 50 people collected round and pressed in to hear what was going on. They were pushed back by the police, and two women, pressed upon by others of the party, fell. They were not badly injured, and they have since resumed their usual avocations. Mr. O'Connor was not assaulted by the police. When he persisted in remaining, in defiance of the proclamation, his arrest was ordered, but was not insisted upon or carried out. A policeman laid his hand on him and advised him to go away quietly. It is not true that bodies of people, arriving afterwards, were charged and assaulted by the police, but a band of musicians were prevented from entering the village, and were followed by the police till they were clear of it. There is no doubt that they were aware that the meeting had been prohibited. Mr. Eaton's remark with regard to the state of the district referred to it as he had formerly known it. But very determined and continuous efforts have been made to get up an agitation against the payment of a police tax for constabulary stationed in the neighbourhood for the protection of a man named Hallissey, who had been cruelly "Boycotted" and threatened.

MR. HARRINGTON

asked whether it was customary in Ireland that when their superior officer ordered an arrest the police had discretionary power as to whether the arrest should be carried out?

MR. HEALY

asked were the misrepresentations referred to by the right hon. Gentleman in the police reports or in the public prints?

MR. O'BRIEN

There is one portion of my Question that has not been answered. I asked whether the provisions of the Crimes Act had been carried out by the reading of the proclamation aloud, as required by the 10th section, and whether also a reasonable interval was allowed before the people were assaulted?

MR. TREVELYAN

I am not aware whether the proclamation was read aloud, but there was nobody to read it to, and Mr. O'Connor was served with a separate copy.

MR. O'BRIEN

The second part of the Question has not been answered. Was sufficient time allowed to the people to disperse before a charge was made on what now is stated to be a very insignificant crowd?

MR. TREVELYAN

According to my information there was no crowd.