HC Deb 04 May 1885 vol 297 cc1499-500
COLONEL NOLAN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If the police at Oranmore lately made a drain from the barrack cesspool into the stream from which the inhabitants of Oranmore draw their drinking water; if the Local Officer of Health and the Board of Guardians strongly objected to this contamination of the drinking water, and if the Board of Guardians succeeded in closing up this drain; if the inhabitants of Oranmore celebrated this stoppage of the pollution by assembling at the drain and playing music; if, upon this, the police prosecuted, under the Crimes Act, the Local Officer of Health and some others, and if the magistrates dismissed the summons; if he would direct that, for the future, the Crimes Act should not be used against people who, in their anxiety for pure water, assembled in a manner disliked by the Constabulary; and, if he would inform the police that cases of this kind had better be dealt with under the ordinary Civil Law?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

It appears that a drain was about being constructed at the Oranmore Barracks, not for the purpose stated in the Question of draining the barrack cesspool, but to remove surface water. Some of the inhabitants assembled, and by force closed up the works, and they were not afterwards proceeded with. Notice was subsequently served on the 14th of March by the Sanitary Authority forbidding its construction. Eleven days after this a disorderly crowd forced their way late in the evening into the garden of the police barrack, accompanied by a band, took possession of the garden, and refused to leave. They remained for a considerable time, and conducted themselves in a very disorderly manner. The police authorities considered that if such lawless proceedings were allowed to pass unchecked great danger might arise to the public peace, and the principal persons were prosecuted for taking part in an unlawful assembly. The magistrates dismissed the case with a strong caution, holding that while the defendants' conduct did not, under all the circumstances, amount to an unlawful assembly, yet it was very gross, and brought them close to the verge of such unlawful assembly; and they cautioned them that if brought up for similar offences the Court might deal differently with the matter.

COLONEL NOLAN

The Chief Secretary has not answered the last paragraph, which is the most important. What I wish to ask is, whether he will direct that, in cases of this kind, recourse will be had to the ordinary Civil Law, and not to the Crimes Act?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

was understood to say that each case should stand upon its own merits.

COLONEL NOLAN

Has the right hon. Gentleman sent any reprimand to the constables who proceeded in this case under the Crimes Act?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

No, Sir; I have sent no reprimand.

MR. HEALY

Would the right hon. Gentleman say whether the objectionable people at Oranmore were people who objected to having the wells poisoned by the drain coming from the police cesspool?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

It is a long story, but I do not think that was the case.