HC Deb 17 June 1884 vol 289 cc583-4
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact that Sergeant Thompson, who, in April last, was in charge of the Corbetstown (county Kilkenny) Police Station, reported that a constable named Shudall, quartered at that station, who had been attacked by fever, had been removed to the Union Fever Hospital in a "nuisance car," or a "dung car;" whether, in consequence, a personal inquiry was made at the Workhouse by Sergeant Thompson's superior officer, Head Constable Burke, and it was established that, as the owners of public conveyances had refused to allow the use of any of them for the removal of a person suffering from a contagious disease, the master of the Workhouse, by direction of the medical officer, provided for the constable the conveyance specially procured for such cases by the guardians, and had the constable removed under the care of a qualified nurse, and with, all practicable comfort; whether the guardians of the Union, by unanimous resolution, adopted on the 3rd instant, characterized the report of Sergeant Thompson as calculated to impeach the administration of the affairs of the Union, and to affect, injuriously, the character of the officials, and whether the guardians unanimously called for a copy of the report; and, whether copies of the report, and all other reports, statements, or decisions in regard to it by other officers of the Constabulary Force, will be laid upon the Table?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sergeant Thompson did complain to his officer that one of his men, who was suffering from fever, was removed to hospital on an open cart, which he believed was a nuisance cart. Inquiry showed that he was wrong in this opinion, the vehicle being an open cart used by the Union for the removal of patients. The Sergeant made no complaint against any person. The Board of Guardians asked the Inspector General for a copy of the Report. The Inspector General could not comply with this request, but informed the Guardians that the Sergeant had made some statements in ignorance of the facts, to which his attention had been drawn, with the view of his being more cautious in future. I cannot undertake to lay copies of the Report, &c. on the Table. There would be a manifest objection to the production of communications made by members of the Police Force to their own officers.