§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact that John Rea, D. Hayes O'Connor, Edmond Synan, J. R. Murphy, Patrick O'Brien, and John R. O'Gorman, all of Charleville, in county Cork, have been imprisoned, under the Coercion Act, in Naas Gaol, since the 21st October last, and, during this period of over five months, have not received any intimation as to the reconsideration of their cases by the Lord Lieutenant; whether it is true that the Charleville district is, and has been, since and before the imprisonment of the persons named, entirely free from outrage; and, whether, in accordance with the principle adopted by him, he will now consider the propriety of releasing the men arrested in the Charleville district? The hon. Member said, he understood that since he had given Notice of this Question three of them had been released; but he wished to know whether the Chief Secretary for Ireland would adopt a similar course with reference to the others?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, he had looked carefully into these cases when he was in Ireland last. As the hon. Member was aware, two of these men had been released, and John Rea had been released on parole for a week. With reference to the other three, it was unusual to release prisoners unless a Petition in favour of doing so was presented. The state of the district showed signs of improvement; but they had still to keep an extra force of police there, and there was no immediate prospect of their withdrawal.