§ MR. MARUMasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to a Petition to Parliament of the Grand Jury of the county of Kilkenny adopted last week, containing the following statement:—
That whereas the justices of the county, acting upon the advice and recommendations of the local executive and Constabulary officials, have determined that the 'free' force of the Constabulary is insufficient efficiently to work the several police stations of the county without the addition of an extra force, which now involves an annual local charge of £1,700, we therefore submit that the 'free' force should be augmented to the full complement required to make up such proper normal standard;and, whether, in the promised Police Bill, provisions will be inserted so that wherever the "free" force shall be found insufficient for the proper working of Constabulary stations, it shall be augmented to a proper standard for such purpose, and that the measure shall not be restricted to a mere redistribution of the existing "free" force, even though such be deficient as aforesaid for ordinary service?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI have not seen the Petition referred to in this Question. The views of the Government as to the "free" force have been embodied in a Bill which is in the hands of hon. Members.