MR. O'CONNOR POWER (for Mr. PARNELL)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to the recent eviction of Michael Scanlan, of Middle Mace, Claremorris, who was evicted with six in family by Mr. Walter Burke, of Curraleigh, Claremorris, and who with his family have been living in a state of extreme destitution in a small but built of sods in a ditch, the but being so small and badly constructed, that there is not room within it for their little furniture, consisting of a table and a chair, which have been left outside; whether the police patrol had prevented them from going back into the house from which they were evicted, although the door of the house is open; and, whether the police are legally entitled to move persons by force from an empty house of which the door is left open?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, the man Scanlan was evicted for non-payment of one and a-half year's rent, and he and his family were living in a but now, as described in the Question. The police did not prevent these people from re-taking possession, but they had been served with a summons for doing so. [The right hon. Gentleman then read a letter from the landlord denying that there was any hardship on the tenant in the case.]