§ MR. REDMONDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been called to the report in the "Irish Times" of February 13th, of a meeting held in Dublin of the Young Ireland Literary Society; if it is true, as reported, that during a discussion on the life and writings of Thomas Davis two police constables entered the room and demanded the names of the persons present, and the objects of the meeting; and, if the police were acting in accordance with instructions from the Government?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, it was the fact that on the 10th instant a police-sergeant and a constable entered the room in which the meeting referred 981 to by the hon. Member was held. On entering, they were groaned and hissed at. When order was partially restored, the sergeant asked the name of the chairman and the object of the meeting. A person, who refused to give his name, said he was chairman, and that it was a meeting of the Young Ireland Literary Society. The officers then withdrew. The house in question was one in which a branch of the Land League had held meetings, and in which other meetings of a political character had been held. It was impossible for the police to distinguish between the meetings unless they entered the room and made inquiry. In doing that, they acted in accordance with instructions from the Government.