COLONEL DICKSONsaid, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to a representation by the County of Limerick Grand Jury to the Judge of Assize at the late Spring Assizes with reference to the employment and organization of the police?
§ SIR ROBERT PEELsaid, in reply, that a representation had been made to the Judge of Assize by the Grand Jury of the county of Limerick at the late Spring Assizes in reference to the employment and organization of the Irish constabulary. The Grand Jury stated that the police force was assuming too military a character. The character of the force, however, was precisely the same that it was thirty-eight years ago. It had always been under the command of military men, at first under Colonel Kennedy, then under Colonel M'Gregor, and now under Colonel Brownrigg. It was always desirable that a force consisting of 12,500 men should be under the management and control of a person experienced in military matters; in fact, the City of Dublin police itself was under the command of a military man. Then objection was taken to arming the force with the rifle, and it was assumed that, because they were supplied with the same arm as the Line, they were assuming too military an appearance. But the constabulary had always been armed with the same weapon as the infantry, and being armed like the infantry with the rifle, it was necessary they should be instructed in the use of that weapon. Then the Grand Jury went on to say that there was a large reserve of police in Dublin, for the support of which all the counties were taxed. That, however, was not the ease, for the 1503 Grand Jury ought to know that the counties did not pay any portion of the expenses of the reserve force, or of the recruits under instruction at the depot. The allegations in the representation of the Grand Jury of the county of Limerick did not therefore appear to call for any action on the part of the Irish Government.