§ MR. ERRINGTONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether further rioting is apprehended at Belfast, and what precautions have been taken to keep the peace; how many stipendiary magistrates and extra police force have been sent there; whether the Corporation of Belfast have power to pass bye-laws prohibiting public processions within the borough; whether such bye-laws have not been passed for Liverpool and other towns; and, whether, considering that such processions are at Belfast so often the occasion of riots, he will impress upon the Corporation the necessity of using their powers to prevent them?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERSir, I certainly hope that no further riot will take place at Belfast; but, nevertheless, we have thought it right to adopt certain measures of precaution, and three additional stipendiary magistrates and 300 extra police have been sent to the town. I am advised that the Corporation of Belfast has, subject to the assent of the Lord Lieutenant, power to pass bye-laws for the maintenance of order and good government in the town, which I am led to believe would include a prohibition of such processions or gatherings of any kind as are calculated to lead to a breach of the peace. The attention 499 of the local authorities has already been called to the advisability of taking measures of precaution in that direction. I am not aware what is the case at Liverpool. I have made inquiries, but have not as yet received an answer.