§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, at or about 6 a.m. on Friday last, Mrs. Mary Kelly, the tenant of a farm at Clongorey, and Mrs. Morressey, of the same place, were arrested by a force of bailiffs, accompanied by armed police, and were conveyed with Mrs. Morressey's infant, to Dublin, and lodged in Grangegorman Prison; that Michael Morressey also was arrested and taken to Kilkenny Gaol; by what authority this course was taken; whether the bailiffs 1809 acted legally in refusing to exhibit a warrant when called upon to do so; and for what period the women and the infant are to be kept in prison?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt appears that the prisoners in question were arrested on an Order obtained in January last from the County Court Judge in consequence of their failure to comply with an injunction restraining them from permitting League huts to be erected on their promises in support of the Plan of Campaign on the O'Kelly estate. The process was at the suit of the landlord. The matter is one over which the Executive Government have no control. Inquiry, however, will be made as to the matters of fact detailed in the question.
§ MR. SEXTONIs it not the fact that the Order of the County Court Judge was not to restrain the tenant from building huts, but to remove huts built; was it within the competence of the bailiffs to arrest people other than the tenant; and how does it happen that a woman who had nothing to do with the farm is in prison?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe information which I have received says that the injunction was to restrain the tenant from erecting huts. I have no information on the second point, but I have no doubt that the Attorney General for Ireland will be glad to answer any question on the point.
§ MR. SEXTONWill the right hon. Gentleman direct particular attention to the arrest of Mrs. Morressey's infant, who certainly was not the tenant of the farm?
§ SIR C. LEWIS (Antrim, N.)Is it not the ordinary course of law to arrest all persons on the premises under such circumstances?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMy knowledge of the law is so imperfect that I am unable to answer the question. The hon. Baronet had better put the question on the Paper.