§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the report in the Donegal Independent of 24th July, that Mr. David C. Pearson, who is clerk of the union of Donegal, attended at, and presided over, an Orange demonstration at Raw Mill, South Donegal, on the 12th instant; and, if so, whether it is in accordance with the regulations of the Local Government Board that such officials should take part in political demonstrations?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMy attention had not been called to this case until I received the report which the hon. Gentleman was good enough to forward to me. There is no rule of the Local Government Board of the nature indicated in the question.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)This is the case of a gentleman who occupies a public position presiding at an Orange demonstration, and why does it not come within the rule laid down by the Education Department?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat is quite true, and no doubt there is an order which prohibits servants of the Crown and Inspectors of Schools from taking part in political demonstrations. The hon. Gentleman will see, however, that the gentleman mentioned in the question is a servant not of the Crown but of the union, and I believe that no rule has been laid down in such a case. On the contrary, in all parts of Ireland these gentlemen have, from time to time, attended meetings of this kind.
§ In reply to a further question by Mr. SEXTON,
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid: The clerks of some of the southern unions in Ireland have been very violent partizans.