HC Deb 07 May 1883 vol 279 cc32-3
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Constable Graham, a man of thirty years' service in the Royal Irish Constabulary, lately stationed at Carros Hut, county Mayo, committed suicide there, about three weeks since, by shooting himself with his own rifle; whether, notwithstanding his length of service, this constable had recently been removed from Claremorris, where his wife and children live, to Newport, and, on appealing to County Inspector Carey to be allowed to return to Claremorris, that officer took the course of sending him to the hut at Carros, still further away from Claremorris; whether there is reason to conclude that the constable committed suicide through depression, resulting from the course pursued towards him by County Inspector Carey; and, whether the Government approve of the conduct of the County Inspector in this case, and will inquire into the course adopted by him, in numerous cases, with regard to the separation of married constables from their wives and children?

MR. TREVELYAN

I think the hon. Member will be glad to hear the answer to this Question. Constable Graham committed suicide as stated. He had been stationed at Claremorris, in order that he might be in a place where his wife and family could get accommodation; and it was at his own request that he was transferred from that station to a protection post, as his eyesight was not good, and he was unequal to all the writing that he had to do at Claremorris. It is not the case that the County Inspector had, in numerous instances, transferred married constables to stations where they could not obtain accommodation for their families.