§ MR. SEXTONasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether it is true that on or about the 11th instant, Constable Kennedy, and a party of the Royal Irish Constabulary stationed in the town of Tipperary, tore down a number of placards calling upon the ratepayers of the local electoral divisions to vote for the popular candidates for the office of poor law guardians; whether the Executive justify the conduct of the police: and, if not, whether they will take any steps to prevent a recurrence of it; whether, on the same day, Constable Kennedy stopped in the streets of Tipperary, a man who was distributing the placards in question, deprived him of all the placards in his possession, and took his name; and, whether the police were justified in thus confiscating private property, and what charge, if any, can be made against the man who was engaged in distributing the placards?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)The hon. Member now asks me as to the contents of the placards referred to in his Question; but as I have not seen the placard I am unable to answer the Question with which he now supplements his Question in the Paper. My reply to that Question is that anonymous inflammatory placards to intimidate voters for Poor Law Guardians having been posted up in the town of Tipperary were re- 13 moved by the Constabulary, as was their duty. They also took similar placards from a bill-man who was distributing them, and they have summoned him. I should add that on the hearing of that summons the contents of the placards will be considered by the magistrates.
§ MR. SEXTONsaid, that in consequence of the answer he had received, he would take the earliest opportunity of calling attention to the outrage perpetrated by the police on this occasion.