HC Deb 31 March 1881 vol 260 cc356-7
MR. PARNELL

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to a paragraph in the "Cork Examiner" of March 28th, giving an account of the capture, at Corkbeg near Whitegate, of three soldiers from the garrison at Carlisle Fort, attempting to mutilate sheep, the property of Mr. R. U. Penrose Fitzgerald; and, whether he has directed any inquiry to be made into the matter with a view of ascertaining the correctness of the statement?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

Yes, Sir, my attention has been called to this matter, and I have received information from the constabulary in reference to this subject, and I find that the account given in the newspaper is not correct. If the hon. Member will look at the Freeman's Journal of yesterday he will find a paragraph that puts the matter in a correct light.

MR. A. M. SULLIVAN

asked, whether the Report did not state that the men were not Marines?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

The Report does state that they were not Marines.

MR. PARNELL

said, that what he asked the right hon. Gentleman was, whether he had directed any inquiry to be made into the matter with the view of ascertaining the correctness of the statement referred to by the paragraph in the newspapers; but he did not give him the information he required

MR. W. E. FORSTER

I have inquired into the matter, and I find that the account given in the newspaper is not correct, and I think it was admitted by the newspaper yesterday that it is not so.

MR. O'DONNELL

But, in a matter of so much importance, would it not be more becoming and satisfactory to state to the House what was the result of your inquiry, and not merely state that the account in the newspaper was not correct?

MR. PARNELL

asked, if the right hon. Gentleman could inform him whether two soldiers had been captured under circumstances which gave rise to the belief that they were going to mutilate sheep?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

Perhaps the hon. Member will give Notice of the Question.