HC Deb 12 June 1882 vol 270 cc810-1
MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that the Irish Government have at present four policemen guarding two emergency men who are taking care of lands on the estate of Mr. Cusack, at Rynmount, county Longford, from which two families have been evicted; whether it is true that both the evicted tenants, the Widow Clyne and Mr. Gregory Yorke, are able and anxious to pay the rent for the homes in which they were born, and which their fathers had built; whether they have offered to pay what they deemed to be a rack-rent; and, whether any charge of any breach of Law was ever made against either of these two evicted tenants?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, it is true that four members of the Constabulary are protecting two caretakers from the Property Defence Association who are minding the evicted farms referred to by the hon. Member. It is true that the evicted tenants were anxious to continue in their holdings, and were willing to pay a considerably increased rent to be allowed to do so. The Constabulary inform me that no charge for a breach of the law was ever made against either of them, but that, on the contrary, they are most respectable, law-abiding people. I am asking some questions about this case, which has some points of importance about it.