HC Deb 13 June 1887 vol 315 cc1735-7
MR. W. A. MACDONALD (Queen's Co., Ossory)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true, as stated in The Daily News, of June 10th, that on the occasion of the evictions on Lord Ken-mare's estate in the neighbourhood of Killarney last week, one case, that of a poor widow named Sullivan, and her seven children, was so distressing in all its features that many of the policemen present turned away and shed tears in silence; that one policeman suggested that a subscription should be raised on the spot; that the idea was warmly taken up by all save some Orange members of the Force, and would have been carried out but for the interference of Head-Constable Rowe, who threatened the men with all the pains and penalties of the Police Code; whether similar collections have repeatedly been made by the police on other occasions; and, whether there is really a provision in the Police Code forbidding members of the Force to contribute their own money for the relief of human misery?

MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)

also had the following Question on the Paper:—To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the account published in The Daily News, of the 10th. instant, of the evictions on the Kenmare Estate, Killarney, is correct; whether it is true that the case of a widow named Sullivan was so miserable as to cause many of the police to shed tears, and to "speak in terms of condemnation of the cruel business;" whether, on an attempt being made to raise a subscription for the immediate relief of the family, the Head Constable Rowe refused to permit it, and threatened his men with punishment for transgressing the Police Code; and, whether there is any article in the Police Code prohibiting such acts of philanthropy on the part of the police; and, if so, why was such article not enforced in the case of the Glenbeigh Evictions when a sum of £1 2s. 6d. was collected for one of the victims among the constables present, headed by a donation from the Sub-Sheriff himself?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)

(who replied) said: I will now also reply to Question No. 39 put by the hon. Member for the Camborne Division of Cornwall (Mr. Conybeare) on the same subject. It is not true that the police shed tears, or spoke in terms of condemnation, in the case of the widow Sullivan. There was no attempt by any person to raise a subscription; therefore Head-Constable Rowe could not, and did not, act as alleged. There is no rule against members of the Royal Irish Constabulary contributing as individuals from their private means to any charitable object. At Glenbeigh a sum of £1 2.s. 6d. was subscribed to pay for the conveyance of an aged woman to the workhouse. She was merely a sub-tenant, and lived on charity. The Sub-Sheriff's deputy subscribed. The Sub-Sheriff was not present.

MR. W. A. MACDONALD

asked the right hon, and gallant Gentleman to state his authority for the first part of the reply.

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

The responsible officer in charge of the district.