MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact that the house of William Kennedy at Kildonery, county Cork, was searched on April 2 by SubInspector Carter and a party of police who seized and carried away a private letter from Kennedy's brother and a memorandum containing business entries made by himself while detained in Clonmel Gaol as a suspect under the Peace Preservation Act; whether there is anything of an illegal character in these documents; and, if so, what; and, whether such an abstraction of documents disclosing the private business affairs of persons obnoxious to the police is an abuse of the power of search for illegal documents under section 14 of the Prevention of Crime Act?
§ MR. TREVELYANIt is a fact that William Kennedy's house was searched, and two small copybooks and a private letter taken away, which it is believed will be of importance in tracing the perpetrators of crime. With regard to the business entries referred to, I am informed that there were three only, of an unimportant character, and that Ken- 617 nedy can have them back if he wishes, as also the private letter mentioned. There was no abuse of the power of search, which was strictly exercised in the view of the purposes for which it was enacted by Parliament.
MR. O'BRIENIs it a fact that search was made in different parts of his house at the same time, in spite of Kennedy's protest against not being afforded an opportunity of seeing the papers actually seized?
§ [No reply was given.]