§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the language attributed to him in the following report of his banquet speech on the 11th instant is correct:—
Practically, the tenants of Ireland at this moment, not the whole tenantry of Ireland, were deliberately engaged upon the task of abstaining from fulfilling their just obligations, which it was absolutely in their power to fulfil;if he can state how many conspiracies of this kind have been dealt with under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act; and, whether the Government have ample power under the latter Act for grappling with such conspiracies; and, if so, whether the law is being vigorously enforced?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I hope the extract is not verbally correct, as the English in which it is couched seems to me very indifferent. But I certainly stated that a large number of Irish tenants conspired to repudiate obligations which they were not only legally bound to fulfil, but which they had it in their power to fulfil. In so far as it rests with the Government, and not with the landlords, to deal with this repudiation of just liabilities, we shall, of course, do our best to enforce the law. The powers conferred by the Crimes Act have proved—and in the future may be expected to prove—of great utility; there have been successful prosecutions for inciting to the Plan of 1186 Campaign, and we may hope that there may be successful prosecutions for engaging in it.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI have to say, with regard to the extract which appears in the Question, that it was taken from The Times.