§ MR. CALLANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, with reference to his answer to Sir John Gray on Friday last, Whether Colonel Lake sanctioned or knew of the placing of the spontaneous protest of some of the force on the table in the inspector's room or elsewhere; and, whether he will be good enough to inform the House of the grounds which have been assigned for the dismissal of John Doyle and James Doyle from the Dublin Metropolitan Police?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, he had the authority of Colonel Lake for stating that he neither sanctioned nor knew of the placing of the spontaneous protest referred to on the table of the inspector's room or elsewhere. In answer to the latter part of the Question, he had to inform the hon. Gentleman that the Chief Commissioner had the power—and it was perfectly well known to every member of the force that 795 he had it—of dismissing any member of it without assigning any cause. The Chief Commissioner had exercised that power in the present instance, and he must decline to state on what grounds he had deemed it right to dismiss John and James Doyle. There were certain other statements which were made in a letter which appeared in a Dublin newspaper—from which he thought the hon. Member had obtained his information—which had reference to a superintendent, and which were false.