§ MR. PARNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Mr. Richard Hodnett was arrested under the provisions of the Protection of Person and Property (Ireland) Act, on a warrant charging him with being reasonably suspected of maliciously assaulting and breaking into a house and assaulting and beating a person therein; whether he was arrested at four o'clock in the morning by a dozen policemen, who broke open his bedroom door; whether Mr. Richard Hodnett is chairman of the Schull Board of Guardians and chairman of the Dispensary Committee of that Board; and, if so, whether he will give directions to the police when arresting respectable men under the provisions of this Act in future, who are not in any way evading arrest, to effect such arrest at reasonable hours, and in a more seemly and less violent fashion?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERYes, Sir; Mr. Hodnett was arrested under the Protection of Person and Property (Ireland) Act, on reasonable suspicion of breaking and entering a dwelling-house, and committed to prison. He was arrested at 4 o'clock in the morning by a sub-inspector of police and 10 men. The police had to force open his door in order to effect his arrest. With regard to the early hour of his arrest it was due to the circumstance that the people of the place had refused cars to the police, and it was necessary to convey the prisoner to Skibbereen and to catch the 5 o'clock train at that place. They had to march to Skibbereen, and lost the train in consequence of a delay of three hours, which was caused by the refusal of Mr. Hodnett to get up and dress himself. He was informed that Mr. Hodnett was Chairman of the Schull Board of Guardians, and Chairman of the Dispensary Committee of that Board.