§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that the Glenties tenants of the Marquess of Conyngham, in the County of Donegal, came to an amicable arrangement with the agent, Mr. Osborne, as to the rent to be paid by them, and that the terms of this arrangement were reduced to writing by Mr. Osborne himself, in conference with the parish priest, in the presence of two gentlemen visitors from England; whether, when, in accordance with that arrangement, the tenants came on the day fixed, some of them over 10 miles, to pay the rents, the same were refused; and, whether a large force of Constabulary, under County Inspector Lennon, last week escorted Mr. Osborne on a round serving the tenants with notices to quit?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I have no official knowledge of the circumstances referred to in the first two paragraphs of the Question. It is the fact 1089 that the agent was protected by a force of police under command of the County Inspector when engaged in serving notices.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked, could the right hon. Gentleman state what charge would be thrown on the Public Exchequer in connection with this raid of policemen in serving these notices?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he did not know what the cost of the expedition was.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORWill the right hon. Gentleman be provided with the information on this point by the time the Estimates come on?
§ [No reply.]