HC Deb 01 May 1882 vol 268 cc1824-5
MR. REDMOND

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the Report, in the "Daily News" of 28th April, of certain observations made by Captain Plunket, R.M. at the Petty Sessions Court of Castle-island, county Kerry; whether Captain Plunket stated, amongst other things, that the people had lost all sense of honesty, decency, and religion, and that if any persons were found in his district attempting to establish a branch of the Ladies' Land League, he would issue a warrant for their arrest; and, whether it is a fact that recently Captain Plunket issued orders to the police in his district, whenever they found more than two men assembled upon the road to disperse them, and, if necessary, to use their weapons in doing so?

MR. W. E. FORSTER,

in reply, said, there was another Question on the same subject by the noble Lord (Lord Algernon Percy)—Whether his attention has been called to the following statement in the "Dublin Daily Express" of the 28th of April:— The Hon. Captain Plunkett, the special resident Magistrate of the South-Western District, delivered an address yesterday from the Bench at Castle island Petty Sessions Court, county Kerry, on the terrorism prevailing in the country, and the cowardice of the farmers, who will not combine against it. Captain Plunkett said there was no case on record in the history of the world where the people had become so demoralised in a short time; and, whether he proposed to take any further steps to put a stop to the system of terrorism at present existing in Ireland? He should like to answer both Questions. He had received a telegram from Captain Plunkett, who informed him that he did say— The people had lost all sense of honesty, decency, and religion; and that— If any persons were found in his district attempting to establish a branch of the Ladies' Land League, he would issue a warrant for their arrest; but he did not give orders to the police to disperse parties of two or more assembled upon the road. He did say that the intimidation prevailing was appalling, and that— There was no case on record in the history of the world where the people had become so demoralized "—[Mr. HEALY: Bosh!]—"in so short a space of time. He did not say that it was impossible for the Government to cope with the outrages; but he did say that people who did not assist in their own protection and in the repression of crime did not deserve any protection. He (Mr. W. E. Forster) did not know that he should exactly have recommended the use of these words, had he been consulted; but he thought that in the meaning of them, and in what they were understood to imply, they were very correct statements.

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

inquired whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the County Kerry was the most rack-rented county in Ireland, and that the Land Courts reduced the rents in many cases in the proportion of£17 to£4?

[No answer was given.]