§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY (for Mr. SEXTON)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, in the late election of a guardian of the poor for the electoral division of Renealon, in the union of Kildysart, Mr. Green, Lord Leconfield's estate bailiff, went about among the voters who were tenants of Lord Leconfield, and told them before the election that, if they did not destroy the voting papers which they had filled up in favour of the popular candidate, they would be 580 processed for the price of flour which he had given them as a gift in 1879; whether any voting papers were destroyed in consequence of this threat; whether Mr. Power, the candidate favoured by Mr. Green, was returned by a majority of two; and, whether notice will be taken of the conduct of Mr. Green, and a new election ordered?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I am informed that Mr. Green canvassed for Mr. Power, but that no throats of any kind were used, and that he told the electors whose votes he sought that he asked for them as a friend of theirs and a friend of the candidates, and that he was not authorized by Lord Leconfield or his agents to make the canvass. Eleven voting papers were destroyed. That was not done in consequence of any threat, but under the following circumstances:—One woman had filled her paper in favour of Mr. Kelly, the other candidate, but on being asked by Mr. Green to vote for Power, she destroyed the paper. Her son emphatically denies that any threat was used. Another voter destroyed his paper, because he had not filled it up when the police called for it. Mr. Power was returned by a majority of two. There does not appear to be any ground for taking any notice of Mr. Green's action in the matter.