§ MR. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that the occupations of the majority of the inhabitants of Dublin prevent them from being within their houses constantly after five o'clock p.m., or earlier; whether he is aware that, in the case of very large numbers of the poorest inhabitants the wretched nature of their homes, frequently single rooms in badly-ventilated quarters, renders their compulsory confinement from five p.m. to eight a.m. every day both painful and unhealthy; and, what steps he will take to allow the inhabitants of Dublin, especially the poorest classes, to walk in the open air after five p.m. during the winter?
§ MR. PARNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the city of Dublin has been proclaimed under the provisions of the curfew section of the Crimes Act, and upon whose representations and with what object this has been done?
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORasked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that, according to Thom's Almanac, the sun set in Dublin yesterday evening at 3.43 o'clock P.M., and rose this morning at 7.53 o'clock A.M.?
§ MR. TREVELYANI will answer the Questions of the hon. Member for the City of Cork (Mr. Parnell) first. The City of Dublin has been proclaimed under the provisions of the Curfew Section of the Prevention of Crime3 Act. It was done on the representations of those who are responsible for the peace of the city and for the lives of the citizens; and it was done to preserve that peace and to save those lives. With reference to the Question of the hon. Member for Dungarvan (Mr. O'Donnell), I beg to assure him that the powers of the section will not be directed against the people whose comfort and health he desires should be protected. The following supplemental Proclamation has been issued by the Lord Lieutenant: —
Whereas certain atrocious crimes have lately been committed in the City of Dublin, evidently the work of a secret society, and whereas we, being determined to afford every protection to peaceable and law-abiding citizens, have this day, with the advice of the Privy Council, issued a Proclamation declaring Section 11 of the Prevention of Crime (Ireland) Act, 1882, to be in force in the City of Dublin; now, we John Poyntz, Earl Spencer, Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, hereby give notice that the powers will be so used as not to interfere with the comfort or convenience of any peaceful and law-abiding citizens, but will be directed against persons believed to be engaged in prosecuting criminal designs.I know that the public servants who are directly responsible for carrying out the section understand and sympathize with the spirit of this Proclamation; and I shall make myself responsible for seeing that it is carried out in this spirit. With regard to a Question asked some little while ago by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ripon (Mr. Goschen), I may say now that the provision of extra force to protect the lives of jurymen and others, and to assist the police in dealing with violent crime, from the very first engaged the attention of the Government. It is, for reasons into which I need not enter, a very difficult and delicate problem; but the Government think they have found a solution to it, and are engaged actively in carrying out the arrangements which will meet the required end.
§ MR. PARNELLI wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman who are to be the judges in case of arrests as to whether the persons arrested are about to engage, or are engaged, in criminal designs? I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether the police, in the first instance, will be the judge as to that in making the arrest; and, secondly, I wish to ask him, whether the persons arrested at night will be brought at once before a magistrate, or whether they will be kept in dirty police cells in the company of people of bad character during the whole night on suspicion? Thirdly, I wish to ask him whether the proceedings against the persons arrested in this way will be conducted in public or in private?
§ MR. TREVELYANI think it would be decidedly more convenient that I should answer these Questions tomorrow.
§ MR. PARNELLI beg to give Notice of them for to-morrow, and I shall also ask the right hon. Gentleman, if he will lay upon the Table of the House Copies of the Instructions which have been issued to the police authorities in Dublin as to the way in which the Act is to be administered?
§ MR. SEXTONgave Notice that, on the same day, he would ask, whether, considering the power given under the Prevention of Crime Act to Justices of detaining persons for seven days before bringing them before the Court, the Irish Executive would issue special instructions to the Justices in this regard considering the large number of persons on the streets of Dublin, and the probability of innocent persons being arrested.
§ MR. HEALYgave Notice that, on the same occasion, he would ask, whether the provisions of the Act would be enforced against persons of a certain character who were in the habit of walking through Sackville Street and Grafton Street, and with regard to whom complaints had been made time after time to the Government?
§ MR. O'DONNELLgave Notice that, on the same occasion, he would ask, whether, considering that the police were to be largely reinforced from Manchester and Liverpool and other towns, unacquainted with the people of Dublin, what precautions would be used to prevent mistakes in the persons arrested?