SIR HENRY FLETCHERasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the reports of the speech of the honourable Member for Tipperary at Thurles, in the "Freeman's Journal" and "Nation" newspapers of the 2nd instant, where he is reported to have said as follows:—
One farm empty and turned into a commonage—and there were more than one in Tipperary to-day—had more effect in bringing the landlords to terms than all the talk on all the platforms in Tipperary. He warned them to keep up that system—to let the land-grabber know that, no matter what Mr. Justice Fitzgerald or Lord Justice Fitzgibbon might say, he would be Boycotted, and Boycotted worse than ever he was before coercion. The moment it went out that the people are afraid to Boycott the land-grabber, that moment they would see the rents go up again, and the land-grabber at his work. (Hear, hear.) He was happy to say that in Tipperary no man had taken a farm from which another had been evicted since he came into the country;And, whether, having regard to the previous speeches of the honourable Member at Borrisokane and Woodford of the same tendency and effect, he proposes to take any action in reference thereto?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERThe Report furnished to the Irish Executive by the Government reporter is substantially the same as that mentioned by the hon. Baronet, although it does not contain the words alluded to in the report quoted in the House a day or two ago by the hon. and learned Member for Bridport (Mr. Warton). As to what action the Government intended to take in regard to the speech of the hon. Member for Tipperary, I do not think it is for the public interest that Questions should be asked, the answers to which must fetter the Government in the fulfilment of its duty—the preservation of law and order in Ireland. I must, therefore, respectfully decline to answer the Question.