§ VISCOUNT FOLKESTONE (for Sir HERBERT MAXWELL)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ire- 924 land, Whether it is true that three ex-suspects were recently arrested while drilling illegally with other persons by night in county Roscommon, as stated in the public journals; whether any security for good behaviour has been taken from Matthew Murphy, another ex-suspect, upon whom an appointment under the Government has been conferred since his release; what was the crime under suspicion of which he was originally confined; and, whether there were grounds for considering the suspicion unreasonable?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, one person only who had been in detention under the Protection Act was recently arrested in Roscommon under the circumstances mentioned in the Question. With regard to Matthew Murphy, no security was taken from him to be of good behaviour. The Statute does not empower the Lord Lieutenant to require such. No appointment under Government has been conferred on him since his release. He held the office of sub-postmaster at Milford previous to his arrest, but has not yet resumed it. The offence on suspicion of which he was arrested was intimidation for non-payment of rent. There were no grounds for considering the suspicion unreasonable.